Light Protectors FF: Two Sides of Darkness
by Knightmare1618
Summary: Part of the Light Protectors Community. Tenebrae, a Wielder from the Union Unicornus, is searching. Searching for answers, for truths, for knowledge. But when the Darkness becomes stronger, can he find out the cause and bring balance. Will he be able to before falling into Darkness himself? And who are these other Wielders that he meets after the fall of the Unions?
1. Awakenings and Introductions

The Realm of Darkness. A place devoid of Light. Separate from Time, or so the legends say. Here is where the Darkness is strongest. Yet few ever traverse this place.

There was one who did not fear the Darkness. No, he relished it, used it. He wanted to understand it. He wanted to know why it was feared. He wanted to know why it was shunned and the Light praised. He even went so far as to abandon his duties to further his research. He knew of another who followed his mindset but wasn't sure if he would meet that man.

This Seeker was named Tenebrae. His very name meaning that which he researched. He was a Seeker for balance, for understanding, and for truth. One who wanted to know what the Darkness truly was. ***

-Tenebrae, Tenebrae! -

Tenebrae opened his eyes to see a dark void. He looked down and saw a stained-glass portrait of himself. He was dressed in his official gear, with a black button-down shirt and a gray vest. He wore dark-brown cargo pants, and black shoes to complete his outfit. His dark hair was combed down, and rimmed glasses framed his face.

Something about the portrait seemed off to him. There was a tint to it that seemed to flicker under the surface. He wrote it off as being his eyes adjusting to the sudden light.

-Which Union does your heart belong to? –

To Tenebrae, that question was an easy and a hard one. He did not like the idea of belonging to one group. At the same time, he had admiration for the Foreteller, Master Ira. He was one who had the knowledge and intellect to be in his position.

"Unicornus." Tenebrae called out.

From the edge, a staircase of light appeared. It ascended and connected to another platform. Tenebrae walked to the staircase and tested them. Even without a base, the stairs were stable. He felt the sides and noticed a barrier to keep him from falling.

Tenebrae ascended the staircase to the next platform. This platform had a red tint, to match the Union Color he had chosen. The portrait was the same, but there were streaks of silver in his hair. Checking his own, he did not see any streaks in it.

Three platforms appeared around him. There was a sword, a shield, and a staff on top of one of them.

-What power do you seek? –

Tenebrae walked up to the staff. In his head, he heard, 'The power of the Mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin. Is this the power you seek?'

Tenebrae focused on the staff and felt its power surge into him. He looked over to the other two platforms. The ones holding the sword and the shield.

-Now, what will you give up in exchange? –

'With knowledge, I won't need to worry about getting hurt.' Tenebrae thought as he walked up to the shield. 'I also don't plan on fighting too much.'

-You gained the power of the Mystic. You've given up the power of the Guardian. Is this the path you seek? –

"Yes!" He called out. When he did, the glass beneath him shattered. It took him a second to realize, and that was when he fell.

The descent was met with another stained-glass portrait. This one was of a young man he did not recognize. It looked almost like a twin of him, with silver hair. Darkness pooled around him and swirled in front of him. A shadow figure appeared before him, with what looked to be a black Keyblade.

-The Keyblade is a weapon of Light. It houses the power to vanquish Darkness. –

A Keyblade appeared in Tenebrae's hand. It looked like the beginner Keyblade, Starlight. The silver blade and purple guard shone, even in this void.

The shadow figure struck first. Tenebrae blocked the attack, and he could feel he power behind the Darkness. Tenebrae parried and blocked most of the attacks. He felt himself being pushed to the edge. 'So, this is the power of Darkness. How fun it will be…. TO CRSUH IT!'

Tenebrae vanished and slashed at the shadow's back. He kept slashing at it until it was vaporized. He had a feral grin on his face, as the glass pane shattered. His expression changed quickly. His grin became panicked as he fell. Fell into the eternal Darkness. ***

Tenebrae woke up screaming, his dark eyes scanning his environment. He was in the library the Union's shared. In front of him, another tome talking about the difference between Light and Darkness. Another tome which shunned the Darkness. He rubbed his face and wiped away any drool that came from his mouth.

Tenebrae readjusted his glasses and tried to look like he didn't just have a panic attack. 'You are a member of Unicornus. Have some composure.'

He still remembered the speech Master Ira made. Of having to work alongside those in the Union and keep the Darkness at bay. 'And I tried. But all those fools only care about showing off. Especially HIM!'

Tenebrae grit his teeth as he thought of the one who earned his ire. Another member of his Union, who had earned his spot for his ability and charisma. He didn't want to remember the name, lest he grow jealous. 'And who am I to be jealous? Just because he has popularity.' His head sunk. 'And friends in other Unions.' His head went lower. 'And girls literally throwing themselves at him.' The last thought caused him to hit his head on the table.

He could hear the murmurs of the other Wielders as he wallowed in self-pity. He didn't care. None of the m gave Tenebrae the challenge he was looking for. The only one who did, was HIM! And Tenebrae gave up trying to best that one long ago. Tenebrae only ever collected Lux to fill the quota for the day. He only did group missions when assigned.

His Chirithy appeared on the table in front of him. "You know that Master wants everyone to be friends. It wouldn't hurt to make some. Maybe even K…"

Tenebrae glared at Chirithy. "Don't utter his name. It's bad enough to see him during briefings. I don't want to spoil my off time thinking about him. Besides, I have all the friends I need in you," he patted the books to his side, "And the stories of the past. I have no need for trivial things. Besides, everyone talks about how many Heartless they destroyed. And how much Lux they gathered. It's becoming boring."

"Maybe it would be better if you used that sense of competition?" Chirithy questioned? "Knowledge is good and all, but don't you need to be able to put it into practice?"

"And I do." Tenebrae stood up. He began to put away the books he was reading. He made sure none had any of his spit, before safely storing them. "I practice just like the others, and I go on missions. It's not Like I spend every hour of the day in here."

Tenebrae grabbed Chirithy and place it on his shoulder. He exited the Library to see that it was dark out. "I just spend the rest of my day in there." He lit a small fire spell to make some torchlight, as he headed to his apartment.

It was a small place with everything he needed. Luckily the Union helped to pay for it. But the Munny he earned from missions was his main source of income. Tenebrae set Chirithy off to the side, as he went to wash up.

"I worry about how much time you spend at night," Chirithy called. "You really should spend more time sleeping."

"But night is when I'm at my best intellectually. I need to do the most research I can before sleeping."

Chirithy sighed. "And that's where I worry."

Tenebrae came out in his pajamas and tackled Chirithy. "Don't worry, my friend. It's only curiosity. It will not consume me." He hugged Chirithy as he fell asleep for the night.

* * *

Hello there, I'm Knightmare, and this is my part of the Light Protectors Universe.  
The first few chapters will be following the KHUX near the Keyblade War missions. And we get to see a perspective out side of the MC. The other Protectors will be introduced later, and you will see Tenebrae's thoughts on them.


	2. Members and Missions

Here we go with the next chapter. Here some more of the Light protectors will be introduced. So enjoy!

* * *

Tenebrae woke up as groggy as usual. His hair was a mess and he couldn't find his glasses. He felt them in his hand and put them on. Chirithy was in front of him, giggling.

"Funny," he said as he poked Chirithy's nose. He went and got ready for the day.

Tenebrae put on his clothes and strapped on his hip pack. It contained any items he would need for his missions. Mostly potions and Ethers, since it only took a few hits to knock him down. He focused his mana and felt ready for the day.

"Time for another day of collection," Tenebrae said as he left his apartment.

He went to the lighthouse, where his Union normally met to go over missions. He saw the regulars, talking in their groups. He did notice few new faces but recognized them as Wielders from other Unions. One of them was talking to HIM!

Tenebrae felt a spike of jealousy as he watched. HE had short dark hair, a build that showed years of fighting. And, a smile that made all the girls swoon. Everything about HIM made Tenebrae sick.

Tenebrae received his orders. There was a disturbance in town. The mission was to find the cause and, most logically, destroy it.

"Hey!" Tenebrae heard the voice but didn't turn. "On another solo mission? You should join my Party, and we can do a group mission tomorrow."

"I'll pass." Tenebrae started to walk away. "I have no need or desire. Besides, I'm sure you have many eager to join you. So, leave me alone."

Tenebrae traveled to the location specified. He went past the fountain in the center of town. He ascended the east most staircase and traveled through the First District. He proceeded to the Avenue.

The presence of Heartless was as common as it always was. That fact worried him. How could a world, designed to train Wielders of Light, have such a strong presence of Darkness? So many things didn't add up. Just more knowledge for him to find.

His target was near the Underpass. There still was a Target Heartless, but it could wait. He searched the area thoroughly, finding nothing out of the ordinary. There was a nagging feeling.

"No new information acquired," Tenebrae said to himself. "Finishing mission." He walked to the Underpass and lit a flame in his hand. Almost immediately, a swarm of Heartless struck.

Tenebrae jumped back and focused his element. He coated his Keyblade in flames and rushed the swarm. In a few quick strikes, the swarm of Heartless was burned to cinders. He watched with glee as the Darkness burned.

-I…sense…it. -

Tenebrae tensed when he heard the voice. It sounded familiar but it was also foreign. There was a feeling of dread and despair, but also of hope.

-Darkness! –

Tenebrae turned with his Keyblade ready. There was nothing near him. He felt a shiver as he looked around. The voice came out of nowhere, but it was also in his head.

Tenebrae shook his head as he headed to the Library. He fulfilled his quota, so there was no point in staying. He wanted to immerse himself in whatever he could find. Though one thing did stick out to him, one subject he WANTED to study; DARKNESS!

With his mission finished, and a new idea in his mind, Tenebrae headed back to the main part of town. He was in deep in thought when he reached the Fountain Plaza.

'What was that voice? And how did is sense Darkness? I need to go back to that area when it becomes dark. I need to know what that was.'

As Tenebrae was walking by the fountain, he was struck by something warm. That then turned hot, as he was flung back by a huge explosion.

"GAHHHH!" Tenebrae splashed into the fountain. Surprisingly, the water splash was as big as the explosion that sent him flying.

Tenebrae heard laughing as he emerged. He saw pink and lilac hair, and goggles running to him. Her light brown eyes showed fear and hesitancy as she looked over him. To Tenebrae, she was cute and beautiful at the same time. His cheeks started to burn, but he quickly quelled it.

"OH MY GOSH!" the girl said as she ran up to him. Offering her hand, she said, "Are you okay? I was practicing, and I had not thought about how strong the spell was, and then I released it without aiming. Again, are you okay?"

Tenebrae wasn't sure if his head was spinning from the explosion or her speech. And she was speaking fast. But he somehow was able to follow most of it.

He reached up to grab her hand but stopped before they made contact. Tenebrae instead grabbed the edge and pushed himself over. He shook off and loose water, making sure he wasn't near the girl. When he was damp, he placed his hands together and focused his element. His entire body heated up and steam erupted from his body. His clothes dried instantly.

"I'm fine," he said, trying not to show any emotion. "A blast like that is nothing. And as you can see, I can dry myself off pretty easily."

"Oh, that's good!" the girl smiled brightly. It almost caused Tenebrae to blush more. "You see, I was practicing my magic. And then, I was seeing how big I could make it, that way I could work on making it smaller. And then…"

Tenebrae listened and nodded along. This girl seemed both bright and air headed. She was rattling off different things she had tried with her spell. It seemed that a lot of the time, it ended with an explosion like the one he was hit with. There was something off about this girl.

"Oh yeah! My name is Laci." She held out her hand.

Tenebrae had been taken aback by the sudden introduction. "Tenebrae, of Unicornus." He shook her hand.

"I'm part of Leopardus!" Laci cheered. "Oh poo, we're part of different Unions."

"Unions are weird," Tenebrae shrugged. "I can't see the need for them for them, but who am I to complain. Besides people outside of other Unions become friends."

"True," Laci said with a smile, "Well, glad to see you're okay. I should…"

"Laci! Was that you again!?"

Both Wielders turned and saw HIM! Keval came running to the Plaza. He was followed by another, a Wielder that seemed to keep him in line. She had shoulder-length, dark hair that was being kept back by a blue headband. And her light blue eyes were taking in the scene.

"Hey Keval, Cetus," Laci waved innocently. "How'd your missions go?"

"Don't change the subject," Keval said in his 'trying to be in control' voice. "We said to practice in the fields, not in town."

"What does it matter what another Union Member does?" Tenebrae was glaring at Keval. "We are all aware of the hazards of our job. Stop trying to control everyone."

"I'm not trying to control anyone, dude," Keval said, crossing his arms. "Laci is notorious for causing massive explosions. Everyone is trying to help minimize the damage."

"No one got hurt," Tenebrae rebuked, "And this conversation is stupid. I'm leaving." Tenebrae walked away before anyone could stop him.

Tenebrae went to the Library and to his normal spot. He looked for any books on Darkness and spells on mind reading. He wanted to get rid of his anger, by burying himself in his research. There was an interesting article that caught his attention: a Keyblade made in the Realm of Darkness.

"Whatcha reading?" He heard Laci, before he saw her sit near him. She had books on magic manipulation.

"Nothing of interest." He tried his best to ignore the girl near him. "I just like to read."

"Mind if I read beside you?"

"Don't see why you need to ask."

Laci nodded and started reading her book. As the pair read, Laci would occasionally use a spell, that exploded. Tenebrae ignored it for the most part. Her presence helped to calm him. But it did not deter his focus as he read his books.

When the bell chimed for night, Tenebrae put away his books. Laci had left a little bit ago, saying something along the lines of trying a new spell. Not even 10 minutes later, an explosion was heard a bit away.

Tenebrae put away the books he was reading. After that, he left the library and walked to the Fountain Plaza. He checked the area and made sure no one was around.

'I need to find out more.' Tenebrae thought as he walked towards the location of his mission. 'What was that voice? And how did it sense any Darkness in my heart?' He placed a hand on his heart and focused on his Light. It was strong, but there was something else.

He headed to the underpass, where he heard the voice. He needed to find out what it was. It sounded familiar and foreign. How, is what he was trying to understand.

As Tenebrae made it to the Underpass, he readied for battle. He inched closer and noticed purple smoke come from under the bridged. The smoke had the same feeling as the swarm from earlier.

Chirithy appeared behind him, away from the smoke. "What are you doing!? We don't have reason to be here!"

"Yes, I do," Tenebrae rebuked, "Master Ira would praise me on finding out what is going on. We need knowledge to combat the Darkness. And what better way, than finding the source."

"And if the source is destroyed?" The voice did not belong to his Chirithy. But it sounded like one, though deeper and angrier.

Tenebrae looked and saw a PURPLE CHIRITHY!? It looked like someone had dumped purple paint on this Chirithy. It did give off an aura of Darkness.

"You!?" Chirithy seemed shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"Surprised Chirithy?" The Purple Chirithy giggled, "Do you like it?"

"You... You've been tainted!" Chirithy was genuinely worried. Tenebrae could feel it's fear. "You've been tainted by Darkness."

That peaked Tenebrae's interest. A Chirithy tainted by Darkness? Did that mean it was corrupted or it's Wielder? And what would it mean if it's Wielder fell to Darkness? Tenebrae needed to find out more.

"Do you hate the Darkness?" the Dark Chirithy asked. "Do you want to destroy it?"

Tenebrae wasn't sure of its reasoning. Chirithy's reaction was one thing. But the Dark Chirithy, that was a new variable. Tenebrae was trained to fight the Darkness, but he had a fascination to learn about it.

"Well, let me tell a little secret," the Dark Chirithy giggled, "Light and Dark are two halves of the same coin. Like day and night. One cannot exist without the other. So, we should all embrace it."

"Study it, maybe," Tenebrae said, before readying his Keyblade. "Embracing it is a different story. I guess this means my mission was incomplete. Sorry. Tell your wielder, he shouldn't have been so weak."

Tenebrae lunged at the Dark Chirithy, fire coating his Keyblade. The split second before his Keyblade met plush, it transformed. The small plush looking cat changed into a deformed monster. Flames exploded as he impacted its arm. He jumped back enough to avoid decapitation.

He focused as much of his mana into his free hand. A fireball appeared and grew the size in size. And again, his Keyblade caught fire. He threw the fireball above and swiped down.

"Firaga Burst! And Fire Raid!" Tenebrae threw his Keyblade at the monster Chirithy. Many fireballs shot down from the one above the monster. His flaming Keyblade struck the Dark Chirithy multiple times, before returning to him. He grinned as he watched the monster burn.

Tenebrae's smile fell when the Dark Chirithy batted away the flames. It looked unscathed. Tenebrae didn't want to believe he did nothing. He had used most of his mana to use those attacks.

"Do you use the power of Darkness?" The Dark Chirithy cackled, "It's marvelous!" It swung its claws at Tenebrae.

Tenebrae tried to block, but the last thing he saw was the sharp claws. Then Darkness…

* * *

That was a thing, it's funny because I almost always lose some battles due to being unprepared in any game.

Anyway, storywise; I do want to thank Kale Thunderhorse Lampkin for letting me use his OC Keval, Blood Rose Knight for letting me use her OC Laci, and PrettyDandelion for letting me use her OC Cetus. All of us are part of the Light Protectors and have individual stories. Also check out Shaylex_Cosplay and her story A New Destiny, because you get to see a future version of Tenebrae in it.

Also check out the Lightprotectors tag on TikTok, to help with visuals of the characters. Most of the Protectors are there.


	3. Failures and Corruption

Here we are with the next chapter. We are going to be closing out the KH Union Cross game here, and we get to see some scenes from a different perspective.  
So enjoy.

* * *

Tenebrae woke up in a cold sweat. His breathing was ragged as he took in deep breaths. He looked around and found he was in his apartment. His arms and head were bandaged. He reached tenderly to check his wound.

"Tenebrae!" his Chirithy said happily. It jumped on his chested and hugged him. "I'm glad you didn't disappear."

"I'm tougher than that," Tenebrae chuckled. He then looked at Chirithy and asked, "How did I end up back home? I was near the fountain plaza, at best."

"You were found, healed and taken home. I was able to find help, but I didn't see who. It was very dark."

"I see." Tenebrae got out of bed and put on his glasses. The bandages seemed fresh. Which meant someone came recently to change them. He looked out the window and saw the sun high in the sky. "Guess I missed the mission briefings. Oh well."

Tenebrae walked into his bathroom to clean up. He cleaned up the non-wrapped areas of his body. He finished his routine and looked in the mirror. Something seemed off to him. He put on his glasses and examined his hair.

'I don't recall dyeing my hair.' Tenebrae thought as he looked at himself. His bangs now had a long silver streak, going from the roots to his tip. It looked new, since he knew he didn't have time normally. But if this was a joke, it wasn't funny.

'It doesn't matter,' he thought as he put on his clothes. 'How long was I out though? And who brought me back.'

Tenebrae put on his pack and left his apartment. He was ready to take any mission he could. He did need the Munny and had to meet his quota.

"Ah! Tenebrae." The voice came from the fountain. And it was one he didn't expect to hear.

Tenebrae saw Master Ira standing near the fountain. The Foreteller's white robe and hood shone in the light. His Unicorn mask showed little of his emotions. But there was a smile on his face, as he looked at the Wielder.

"Good…. Afternoon? Master Ira!" Tenebrae bowed to the Foreteller. "it's both an honor and a privilege to see you. Though I'm not sure to what I owe the pleasure. Is something the matter?"

"Well, this is a matter regarding the incident from last night." Master Ira said plainly. Tenebrae tensed, as the Foreteller continued, "I am aware of the mission you had that day. However, I was not aware of any subsequent quests the same day. So, I would like to ask, why did you venture out at night?"

"I was curious, Master," Tenebrae said. "The mission was complete, as I had not found any knowledge on any disturbances. I was just trying to sate my own curiosity."

"While knowledge is good, your safety is more important. You went on an unauthorized mission against an unknown opponent. Had you fallen, no one would have known."

Tenebrae bowed again. "And again, I apologize Master. It was a matter I did not believe required alarm. I was purely investigating based on instinct."

"That may be. But you still went against the rules." Master Ira crossed his arms. "You will be barred from missions for the next two weeks. Use this time to improve your skills. Use that knowledge and improve yourself. You are dismissed." Master Ira walked away.

'Two weeks…. TWO weeks!?' Tenebrae thought as his anger rose. 'I can't miss two weeks of missions. I may have saved up some Munny, but I still can't be behind. Damn it!'

Tenebrae decided to head to the Library. He saw Laci running by. She seemed happy and was talking to the air. He shook his head and kept going. He needed to drown his sorrows the best way he could; by researching.

Tenebrae found multiple tomes to help with the information he had. He wanted to learn about that Dark Chirithy. It was like a normal Chirithy, but the transformation was what he was interested in. Was a Chirithy supposed to be able to do that? And what was that unusual symbol on its chest? It looked like akin to the Heartless symbol, but it was different.

'Is there some connection? I guess I have time. I need answers.' -

Tenebrae spent the next week going over any and all tomes he could. Anything that mentioned Darkness, the heart, or Chirithys. Though the last subject was a stretch. All the tomes had no helpful knowledge, and it was stressing him out.

Throughout the week, Laci would come by after her missions. Normally, she would focus on her own books and spells, leaving Tenebrae to his. Occasionally, he would hear her having one-sided conversations.

"Are you stressed out about something?" She asked randomly. He had mentioned his probation to her off-handedly. "Cuz you seem more tense than usual."

"I wouldn't call it stress," he growled. "Just trying to figure things out."

"Well I heard stress makes your hair gray. And Lucky says you seem very grumpy lately."

Tenebrae knew about the silver in his hair. It grew more each day. And as it grew, so did his anger. He wasn't sure if there was a connection, but he had too much to focus on now.

Laci's nickname for her Keyblade, Ladyluck, did worry him though. She always seemed a little different, but that made her a variable. Her mannerisms, her looks, her destructive tendencies. There were a lot that drew him to her. But Laci didn't need to know that.

"Well tell Lucky to piss off," Tenebrae growled. "I'm just trying to get an idea of something. I just need the right materials. But no book here has it. And I'm not allowed back on missions yet."

"Mmhmm," Laci seemed to space out for a bit. "Well I should get going. See ya." She left the library with happy steps.

"What an anomaly," Tenebrae said with a blush on his face. The more time she was around, the worse it felt. "I doubt this is anything more than a crush. It's illogical and pointless. Just like my life, I guess."

Tenebrae put away the books he was studying. He left the library, but was it was only midday. He had plenty of time to kill and nothing to do.

As he walked to the Fountain Plaza, he heard Wielders talking. "Stolen Lux." "Dandelions." "A war." These were the things he heard but didn't care about. All he wanted was knowledge. And he had to find ways to obtain it.

The phrase "Dandelions" did spark interest. According to rumor, the Foreteller Master Ava was recruiting Wielders who showed promise. Keval did not seem to be among the group, much to Tenebrae's pleasure. Cetus, Keval's friend from another Union, seemed to have made the cut. While he didn't have much information on her, Tenebrae guessed Cetus was a force to be reckoned with. Not that it mattered to him. Other than that, the Dandelions sounded like a waste of time.

The "War" may have been the only thing of interest. A lot of his books mentioned the war between Light and Dark. And it looked like the Keyblade Wielders shared a part in this war. It made little sense, but Tenebrae felt there was a connection. One worth exploring.

-Darkness! -

Tenebrae felt a chill. He looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary. He thought he felt a presence and went to investigate.

He went up to the eastern staircase of the plaza. This led to a flight of stairs, surrounded by buildings. One building opened to a stairwell going down. The staircase led to an open area, that looked like a closed-off pier.

Tenebrae walked to the edge. The feeling was still there, but he couldn't find the source. The presence was near him. In a puff of smoke, he saw it.

A Dark Chirithy appeared before him. It giggled as he stared at it. It seemed both lifeless and alive.

"You finally heard me. I was getting worried," It giggled. "But now, we can be together again."

Tenebrae readied to summon his Keyblade. "What are you talking back? You defeated me last time. And I won't lose again! Try Me!"

The Dark Chirithy tilted its head to the side. "Last time? I was by your side last time. And you didn't listen to me."

Tenebrae reached out for his Chirithy. Only for the connection to point towards the THING in front of him. He couldn't believe it. His Chirithy was tainted like the other. The thought should have scared him, angered him. But instead, it filled him with glee, with happiness.

"I do wish to ask," Dark Chirithy spoke. "That you leave. Nothing good will come of your current state."

"Oh yeah?" Tenebrae summoned his Keyblade. Unlike before, this summon felt, dark! He looked and saw a Key he didn't recognize. The guard was a deep turquoise and blocky. The blade was a dark brown with tan linings. The teeth of the blade formed a mouth of sorts. And in the center was a red marking that connected to the hilt. "What the!?"

"Darkgnaw." Dark Chirithy said. "A fitting Keyblade for someone keen to study the Darkness."

Tenebrae dismissed the Keyblade. He could feel it's Darkness. He wanted more of it. He NEEDED it!

Tenebrae shook his head of the thoughts and ran home. He didn't stop for anyone and threw himself into his apartment. There were too many things for him to process right now. He needed sleep for now. And Tenebrae hoped tomorrow would be better. -

Tenebrae laid in bed a few days later. No amount of research could help him. No new knowledge presented itself. And that pissed him off. He had nothing that could help him.

His only solace the last few days was Laci. Her presence made the study sessions bearable. It didn't completely negate the rage from not finding answers. She just seemed to numb it.

'And now I'm thinking about her,' he thought as he covered his face. 'She doesn't even seem interested. Why should she be? No one needs me. I should just disappear.'

That was the thought he fell asleep to. The next morning, he got ready and decided to walk around town. He went to the fountain to relax. When he arrived though, and interesting scene unfolded.

Near the fountain, two Wielders were arguing. Insulting and accusing each other. A third Wielder and their Chirithy appeared as the shouting escalated. Tenebrae decided to stay near a building by the southern staircase to observe. He saw the third Wielder get ready to intervene, but their Chirithy held them back.

Even from his spot, Tenebrae could feel the tension. Everyone had been on edge the last few weeks. A lot of people claim their Lux was being stolen.

Without warning though, the two Wielders who were arguing summoned their Keyblades. They were ready to settle their differences through violence it seemed. Even the third Wielder seemed shocked. Tenebrae wasn't sure what to think. But other Wielders had come to watch.

The two that were arguing went to attack each other. Only for the third Wielder to summon his Keyblade and stop them. Their Chirithy called out to them, but they were unscathed. The Chirithy even tried to call for peace between the other two.

The first two Wielders didn't seem pleased with the idea. Instead they went back to insulting and accusing each other, and other Unions. One mentioned a traitor that fell to Darkness. That statement made Tenebrae tense.

He watched as, again, the third Wielder and their Chirithy tried to be diplomatic. Of course, the two fools didn't seem to want to listen. It was only when a black-haired girl ran into the fray, did they seem to ease up. The Chirithy said her name was Skuld.

"Which Union do you belong to?" One of the two Wielders asked.

"It doesn't matter," Skuld stood in front of them. "Our only enemy is Darkness. Our Keyblades aren't meant to harm one another."

Those words worried Tenebrae as he gripped his heart. He watched as all the Wielders started arguing again. This time others from the audience joined a side making a small circle around squabble.

"The War has begun," one called out.

Tenebrae couldn't shake the dread felt. But there was more, anger, frustration, jealousy, all from the other Wielders. He could feel their negativity. He left the area before thing could get violent.

Tenebrae made it back to his apartment, sweating profusely. He noticed his Chirithy on his bed. Its purple fur and red eyes taunting him.

"Running away?" It asked, "Isn't that what you do best? Run and hide because you are weak?"

Tenebrae ignored it as he walked to his kitchenette. He grabbed a drink and downed it quickly. His throat had been unusually parched.

"They'll destroy you, you know," his Chirithy said. "They'll wipe you out because of me. Because of your Darkness. We are tainted and will be deemed traitors. Laci, Keval, everyone will call you a traitor, for relying on the Darkness."

Tenebrae summoned Darkgnaw. He looked at the Keyblade, searching for an answer. "I just need to study more. And then I can prove I'm no traitor. And it does look like no one will listen to reason. No reason for us to stay."

His Chirithy seemed to jump with glee. "Good! Good! And I know just the place!"

"So do I." With a quick slash of his Keyblade, Tenebrae cut his Chirithy in two. Its eyes widened as it well fell onto his bed. "But I don't need you. You'll only slow me down. And I'm not risking a repeat."

"You are a fool!" his Chirithy roared, before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Maybe," Tenebrae sighed as he gathered provisions. "But I am no pawn."

He made sure to gather food and healing items, to stay safe. He grabbed a pack and stuffed everything into it. Within a drawer in his room, he pulled out a pair of goggles he bought. He had the crazy notion of using them to match with Laci.

He left his apartment and noticed no one was around. He adjusted the pack and walked to the Fountain Plaza. Tenebrae noticed his vision started to blur as he walked. He removed his glasses and saw everything was clearer. In the reflections, he noticed his eyes were red. He decided to put on the goggles to cover them and kept walking.

When he made it to the fountain, he tossed his glasses into it. "Guess I won't be needing these. And this may be the last time I'm here. Oh well." Tenebrae called a portal, thinking of one place that no one would think to look. As he was about to step through, a bell in the distance rang. A shockwave followed not a second after. Tenebrae dove through the portal, not even thinking to look back.

One person came to mind as he exited. 'Sorry Laci. I'll never get to say how I feel. But I feel you helped me stay grounded. Thanks.'

* * *

Again thanks to the Light Protector BloodRoseKnight for letting me use Laci, check her story to learn more about this ball of sunshine.  
And we are leavng Union Cross, and you will see the Tenebrae you see on TikTok, so this will be fun.


	4. Isolation and Insanity

And here we are with a new chapter. This chapter starts around the time of BBS, so expect to see some characters later, not necessarily this chapter.  
Either way, enjoy the chapter.

* * *

The Realm of Darkness. A land devoid of Light. It's corridors and plains, surrounded by mists of purple that confused those who traversed its paths. Any who did not go insane, were often fools anyway. For the Darkness could drive even the most stable insane.

"HYAHH!" Silver and black zipped past as more Heartless were dispatched. Purple flames were seen occasionally as explosions blanketed certain areas. Sounds of combat echoed through the empty expanse.

A young man, with hair of silver and eyes of red, placed his Keyblade on his shoulder. The Darkgnaw matched its Wielder perfectly, as being one who used the dark. His black clothes seemed to be made to help ward off the Darkness. He drew up the hood of his jacket to cover his head. A pair of goggles went over his eyes.

'How long has it been? Has the War ended?' These thoughts plagued the Wielder. 'Damn it, Tenebrae! You should have at least tried to find HER!'

Tenebrae clutched his head. The memories of those he knew before hurt. He was a failure to them. He didn't fight in the War, and who knew how many perished. Were Laci and Keval part of that number? No, they couldn't be. Both were strong in their own way.

"How long have I been here though?" He asked into the void. He headed to his campsite. "How much time has passed? Would they even recognize me?"

He sat in his safe zone. No memories, nothing could make him at peace. Each day, for who knows how long, was the same. Wallow in pity, get angry, find and fight some Heartless, and then wallow again when his bloodlust was sated. There was nothing else he could do. The Realm of Darkness was just confusing.

"One must be insane to look for anything here. Yet there is talk of a Keyblade of Darkness here. Whoever wrote that, must have been on something."

Tenebrae rested as he thought. He spent a lot of time searching. And each time, the Darkness around him caused him to grow. That in turn made him insane, which made him bloodthirsty. And the cycle kept going, no matter how many Heartless he vanquished.

How long had it been? Was the War over? Did any of his… Union mates survive? Did La… she survive as well? What of Ke… him, did he make it past the War? And why was Tenebrae worried about them?

No one cared about him. So why should he care about him. They all ignored him! Made him seem WEAK! UNEEDED! Even Master Ira doubted him. How Tenebrae wished to take Darkgnaw and…

Tenebrae shook his head of the thoughts. The Darkness of this Realm was messing with his head. His deepest fears, his darkest desires. Nothing was safe from the Darkness around him.

And thinking of desires. There was one thing he wanted. Laci on his…

"NO! STOP!" Tenebrae clutched his head and shook it. The last thing he needed was a thought like that. He knew for a fact that she never cared for him, like he did for her. He wasn't even sure what his own feelings were.

Why did it matter? Who even loved him? The only one who did, he betrayed and destroyed. He was a murderer, a destroyer.

"NO!" Tenebrae summoned Darkgnaw and swung it around. "I am no destroyer. I am simply looking for an answer. I act in self-defense."

He had no idea who he was talking to. But the voices in his head did not help. He had been hearing them for a while too. And nothing seemed to stop them either.

Tenebrae left his campsite. He needed to find a new place to hold up. This spot was making it harder to think of new thoughts. And the voices had found and tormented him.

He walked along the Realm of Darkness. He climbed some hills and cliff to survey the area. He saw the endless void that housed some of the strongest creatures. He saw the giant gray blobs that had purple pulsing lights within them. The broken paths would have caused the most stable of minds to crack.

Tenebrae focused his mana and jumped onto various ledges. The cliffs always varied in height. So, he was able to practice his control by jumping at various strength. One thing that was positive about his new powers, he had a lot more to work with.

He landed in a clearing and looked around. Tenebrae could feel the Darkness everywhere. Though there was on close to him. He waited until the presence was close, then dodged out of the way. A shadow went by as it went from one end of the clearing to the another. It kept to a dense part of the edge, red eyes peeking out slightly.

Tenebrae grinned as the shadow lunged again. This time he timed it and used a reflection spell to stop its movement. When it clashed with the barrier, he jumped over it and focused his element. Shots of Darkness were released and struck the monster.

"I've been looking for a new plaything," Tenebrae said as he landed. "Let's have some fun, shall we?"

The creature before him was a Heartless. The dark body and orange tendrils spoke volumes. The chains around its arms and legs showed the captivity it went through.

Tenebrae charged at the beast. Giving it little time to react, he boosted his speed and scored multiple hits on it. When it started spinning, he used the momentum to jump away. Tenebrae felt the blood lust from the Heartless, which added to his own.

He focused as much mana as he could spare and summoned a purple fireball. Thrusting his Keyblade towards it, it shot multiple bursts at the Heartless. "Dark Firaga Burst!" Tenebrae had a smirk of glee on his face. He knew he wasn't doing a lot of damage. But the thrill made every second worth the minimum.

The Heartless charged through his attack. It swung with its claws, sending Tenebrae into one of the "trees" that was around the clearing. Tenebrae coughed up blood and fell forward, barely catching himself before impacting with the floor. His smile never left his face.

"Perfect." He stood up and smiled. "Time to end this."

His aura flared, the silhouette of his body and his eyes would have caused chills in a normal being. The Heartless took it as a challenge. Raising his Keyblade high, Tenebrae gripped the hilt with both hands. He positioned it so it was behind him in a ready stance. As soon as the Heartless was close, he took as step forward and disappeared. He ended up on the other side of it with his Keyblade extended in front of him. "Zanketsuken."

He swung his Keyblade down, and the Heartless was cut into two pieces. Both halves dissolved into satisfying black particles. Tenebrae licked his lips, tasting his own blood. The thrill was still there, so long as the damage was. He looked up into the black abyss and breathed out a sigh of pleasure.

"I need more knowledge, more information," he called up to nothing. "I need to know how it ended. Who is there to torture?"

"Do you really wish to know?"

The voice snapped Tenebrae out of his bloodlust state. He pulled his hood back and lowered his goggles. Tenebrae scanned the area for any new presences. Tenebrae stood his ground as he waited. There was no difference in the Darkness he felt.

The voice seemed to laugh. "Come now. It's a simple answer. Do you wish to know?"

Tenebrae growled as he looked around. "I want to know, what your game is? You sound different from the normal voices. Which means you are not in my head. So, show yourself!"

"If I do, will you answer my question?"

"No guarantee," Tenebrae readied himself. "Part of me is tempted to kill a sentient opponent."

"So violent. No wonder the Darkness clings to you. Yet… you still house Light. To think it has yet to be snuffed out."

"Yippee, I still have a heart," Tenebrae said sarcastically. "Oh, joyous day. Let's celebrate with a deathmatch!"

"Wouldn't be much of a match. Just your death." A shadow descended from above. Pooling in front of Tenebrae, a shadow of a figure appeared. Tenebrae was shocked to see who it was.

"Keval!?" The one before him looked almost like his old Union mate. He had the same build, hair color and facial structure. But one glaring oversight was the Heartless Emblem imprinted on his forehead. The black clothes were a giveaway as well, they didn't seem to look like his old style.

"Was that my old name?" "Keval" said. "I'm sure I rid myself of it when my weakness vanished. Oh no, I am Heloa, the Dark Storm. And you?"

"Tenebrae," he responded. "The Seeker of…" He wasn't sure. But Seeker sounded right. He was seeking answers, balance. "The Seeker of Eclipse."

"Eclipse?" Heloa seemed intrigued.

"A medium between Light and Dark. The one time when both are in harmony and balance."

"Well have fun with that down here." Heloa laughed. "You've been here quite some time already. I doubt you'll find the balance you seek."

"I can start by ridding this place of you." Tenebrae pointed Darkgnaw at Heloa. "And with our face, I'll have no regrets."

"You will have one," Heloa laughed. "You will regret challenging me and not heeding my warning. Now, do you wish to know how it ended?"

"What do you gain from me saying yes?" Tenebrae kept his Keyblade trained on Heloa. Ready to strike. "The fact that you know is one thing. But you have no reason to offer the knowledge to me."

"Let's just say, the knowledge will be enough to drive you over the edge. And that will decide if you can stay a Seeker of Eclipse, as you call yourself."

"Ha! Knowledge is power," Tenebrae scoffed. "And it will just strengthen me. I'll take your bet. I'll still seek balance, even with what I'm about to be told."

"Oh no, it's not about what you will be told." Heloa had a cruel smile. "It's what you will see. But, by all means, think of your home. And when you see it, tell me how well your balance stands."

'Home?' Tenebrae thought, 'I have no home. Not anymore.'

"Deal" Tenebrae thought of Daybreak Town. He raised his Keyblade and a portal appeared next to him. He gave one last smirk to Heloa and walked through. When he exited to the other side, his smile left his face completely. -

* * *

So things are becoming interesting. Can you guess the boss I used?  
Thanks again to my friend Kale Thunderhorse Lampkin, for allowing me to use his Character Heloa.  
What did Tenebrae see? Guess we'll know next time.


	5. Knowledge and Equipment

And here we go with the next chapter. If it seems rushed, it's only because of how much information is in the chapter.

But either way enjoy and have fun!

* * *

Nothing… There was nothing! His home, his past, all of it was gone. Everything was decimated. Daybreak Town was no more. All Tenebrae saw, was a Graveyard.

Tenebrae looked around the desolated landscape. There were craters in the mountains, in cliffsides and even on the ground itself. Everywhere he looked, he saw signs of battle. There was a bigger shock though.

Tenebrae looked over a barren field and felt sick. In it was MILLIONS of rusted Keyblades. He jumped down and slid towards the Keys. When he landed, he walked towards the nearest one. He touched it and felt no presence from it.

"A key with no owner, is just a hunk of metal." Tenebrae looked around. "But for so many to be here, how many Wielders fell? Did any of them survive? Well, other than Keval…"

He walked through the Keyblades towards a plateau. He felt multiple presences coming from it. Two felt like Wielders, while there were multiple Heartless. He decided to try and scale a hill that was higher up. Upon reaching the top, he saw a peculiar sight.

A youth was surrounded by Heartless, Neo-shadows if Tenebrae could recall. On another mound was an older man. He was watching as the youth was losing to the Heartless. Tenebrae couldn't tell the purpose this training served. And the youth seemed to be pleading with the old man. Right before he was barraged by the Heartless.

Tenebrae could only watch as the youth fell. The Heartless vanished as the old man walked to the youth. The old man looked down and Tenebrae could feel his disappointment. The old man summoned a black Keyblade.

Tenebrae examined it quickly. It had a blue eye on it, like Master Ira's. And like the old Master, it had the motif of an animal. This motif seemed to be a goat, but none of the Foretellers had that as a mask.

Tenebrae watched as the old man pointed his Keyblade at the downed youth. With a flash of Light, the youth's heart was extracted from him. Tenebrae could sense that it was only the Darkness though. And from that Darkness, another youth appeared.

"Didn't know that was possible." Tenebrae said to himself.

"How long do you plan on spying on us?" The old man called up. "I would recommend showing yourself, lest we get violent."

Tenebrae raised his hood. And put on his goggles. He jumped from his hill, before using a small wind spell to soften his landing. He examined the three individuals quickly. The old man was tan and bald, with yellow eyes. The youth on the floor had blonde spikey hair and lifeless blue eyes. The new youth was in a black and red bodysuit, with a full-headed helmet on.

"And whom might you be?" The old man asked. "Why are you in this Graveyard?"

"I don't see why I should answer the questions of one who doesn't introduce themselves first. So, let's be civil, or…" Tenebrae summoned Darkgnaw. "We can put your new toy to the test."

The helmeted youth summoned a Keyblade as well. The red and black theme and chains spoke volumes. "Try me."

"Calm down, Vanitas." The old man reassured the youth. "He is right. I am Xehanort, Keyblade Master and Philosopher. This youth is known as Vanitas. The neophyte was Ventus."

Tenebrae looked down at Ventus. He could sense a small Light still within him. He would live.

"I'm known as Tenebrae," he responded, "And to answer your previous question, I was seeking knowledge myself. This world holds information of the past. And I seek to glean from it."

"Interesting how you came here. But interesting all the same." Xehanort had a smile. "Well then, I hope you gain the knowledge you seek. I must dispose of this… pathetic failure."

Xehanort walked up to Ventus and picked him up. A portal of Darkness appeared before him. Vanitas dismissed his Keyblade and walked through. Xehanort started to walk through.

"I hope we meet again," Xehanort called back. "You and I have a lot in common." With those words, he walked through the portal and disappeared.

Tenebrae waited for the portal to dissipate before removing his hood and goggles. The old man, Xehanort, worried him. Not only did he exude Darkness, but he was able to extract another's heart. That was knowledge that Tenebrae didn't have. But why split the youth's heart at all?

Tenebrae felt a twinge of pain. He was losing focus. It became harder for him to breathe. He could feel the Darkness encroaching and slowly eating away at him.

Tenebrae summoned a portal to the Realm of Darkness. Jumping through, he was greeted with the familiar Darkness. When he returned, everything became clearer. His senses returned to normal, and he was able to think clearly.

'Guess I can't stay away from this place for too long. Great, another reason to figure this place out.'

"How was it?" Heloa's smug grin made Tenebrae's blood boil. "Can you still seek balance after witnessing all that?"

"I can," Tenebrae grinned, "In fact, I learned something interesting. And I need to find the right tool to try it. So, I'll see you later, because your face makes me sick."

Tenebrae walked away. After seeing what Xehanort could do, he had a feeling the Realm of Light was in danger. That wasn't his problem though, since he no longer had a home there. But there was something in this Realm that could help to protect the Realm of Light.

"The Key of Darkness." Tenbrae smiled. He descended deeper into the Realm of Darkness, hoping to find the Key to end it all." -

Tenebrae wasn't sure how much time had passed. It felt like it was only a few days. It could have been a few hours. But he knew he needed to progress. At on point, he thought he saw a ghost. A girl resembling Laci, but without her pigtails. Tenebrae shook the though away as a trick of the light. There was no way she would have fallen to the Darkness.

As he traveled, he focused on a rift. There had been times where he saw glimpses of other worlds. He wasn't sure what that meant, but there were moments when the Darkness peaked. He needed to know what was going on in the Realm of Light.

Tenebrae kept traveling though. The time was immeasurable, but it didn't matter. There were always Heartless to kill and that sated him. He had not lied to Heloa when he said he sought balance. There had to be a way to use Light and Darkness in tandem. And the Key he was searching for could help. He hoped it was close by.

Tenebrae found what seemed to be a dark ocean. The waves were both oddly soothing, but also utterly infuriating. There was something about it that concerned him, but also filled him with hope.

He continued on. Some time later, he felt a tremor. It felt like an immense Darkness was being used. Tenebrae ran to find the source. When he did, and interesting sight was before him.

Tenebrae saw a broken courtyard, leading to a…castle? The building was destroyed, but it looked to have been some kind of building. The building had small bridges connecting what should have been smaller buildings. "What was this place?" Tenebrae walked up to it. "It came from the Realm of Light. But I feel like there is more to it."

He walked up the broken staircase. Tenebrae was able to enter the main building with ease. He walked along the empty corridors. There felt like a lot of history here. But none of it mattered to him.

He walked through the halls to what appeared to be a throne room. Three thrones were positioned on a pedestal. "Three Masters? I guess less leaders make for easier decisions."

Tenebrae searched around and felt something. There was a connection. A connection to the Realm of Light, but to somewhere else. He summoned Darkgnaw and walked to the center of the throne room. He pointed his Keyblade and aimed forward. A beam shot from it and opened a portal.

Tenebrae walked through it. On the other side was a town. It had many buildings with a sunset theme to them. He looked around as he saw a sunset, feeling the warmth of the Sun. There was a feeling of both Light and Darkness close by. This place though, felt like it was in-between both.

Tenebrae followed the feeling to a tall building. There was a clock on the side facing him. He went towards it. The feeling was coming from the top. Tenebrae felt no beings near, which was weird. Regardless, he used some mana and ran up the side of the building.

Landing on the edge, just above the clock, Tenebrae scanned the area. The sunset seemed even more beautiful from this spot. And it felt like it was going to be even more beautiful later. He turned away and looked towards the building itself.

Tenebrae saw something. Within the pillars, something was glowing. Tenebrae approached, and smiled as he saw what it was.

Suspended in the Clock Tower was a Keyblade. It was a skeleton key. The golden blade and teeth looked beautiful, the crown in the teeth accented the blade. The guard was a silver color with a black hilt to complete it. The Keychain seemed to be…the head of a mouse? It was of three circles connected in the shape of a head.

Tenebrae dismissed Darkgnaw. No matter what happened next, Tenebrae knew he wouldn't need it. He walked up to and reached for the golden Keyblade. When his hand wrapped around the hilt, his mind was rushed with images and feelings he didn't know existed. He held his grip and did not drop the Keyblade.

'Kingdom Key D.'

The name appeared in his head, as he started to breathe harshly. So much power from one Key. It was stronger than any other he had encountered. And it seemed to have a perfect synergy with him. He could feel its Light and Darkness meld with his.

"You are a beautiful one." Tenebrae smiled. "And just like me, you are one of Darkness and Light. Time to go."

Tenebrae jumped off the edge of the Clock Tower. As he descended, he summoned a portal to take him back to the Realm of Darkness. He slipped through the portal and landed near the ocean again. He smiled as he moved through his new home. -

* * *

And there we go, there are the BBS cameos no one wanted. It's good when a game gives you a place to self insert without disrupting the storyline. But Tenebrae encounters another Seeker, will he see him again... Maybe? But hey! new Keyblade! I hope I described the worlds well enough so you guys know where he was. And I'm aware the process for the Kingdom Key D may not be as I described it, but hey that's why it's a fanfiction.

And thanks again to Kale Thunderhorse Lampkin for letting me use Heloa. I'm excited for you all to read the next chapters!


	6. Travels and Organization

New chapter, means more story. And Tenebrae is finally looking like how he does in TikTok, which makes me ecstatic.  
And we are closing out the BBS Timeline here, though I guess there will be deviations from the games, since he doesn't exactly do well with crowds lol  
Still enjoy and let me know what you think.

* * *

Gold, black and silver could be seen zipping through the Realm of Darkness. Heartless were being destroyed left and right. Explosions of purple flames rocked the landscape as battles raged. Laughter could be heard from the only sentient being in the Realm.

"Oh! I am never getting rid of you!" Tenebrae smiled at his new Keyblade. He felt the rush from using his abilities through it. "I can accomplish anything with this."

As he spent more time in the Realm of Darkness, he noticed unusual things happening. Buildings and areas, he didn't fully recognize seemed to appear. A castle, a mine, and a weird hallway. He had sensed faint traces of Light from the areas. But he proceeded through them with little difficulty.

As Tenebrae progressed, he had noticed the presence of a beautiful woman. Blue hair and eyes, with a figure that would have men drooling. But there was so much sadness coming from her. He had watched as she progressed through what seemed to be her own personal hell. But how she got here, that was what he wanted to know.

Tenebrae knew better than to interact with her. He went back to a normal part of the Realm. There was where he trained and got used to his new power. The more he fought with the Keyblade, the more balanced he felt. He couldn't shake the feeling of joy, which was weird after all this time.

"It won't last you know. It just won't last."

There went his good mood. Tenebrae growled as he turned. He noticed Heloa sitting on a pillar close by.

"I don't care for your opinion," Tenebrae snapped back. "I got what I need, and I'm stronger for it."

"Is it you that is stronger?" Heloa put a finger to his chin. "Or is it the Darkness? I'm sure you noticed the all the destroyed worlds. The Darkness is slowly encroaching. And yet all you do is swing around that overgrown toy."

"Jealous you can't wield one?" Tenebrae smirked. "Last I checked, you needed Light. And from what I can tell, you have none."

"I may not, but I'm still the strongest being here. You should just submit to me."

"No deal," Tenebrae walked away. "I already won our bet. No need to make another wager."

Tenebrae traveled through a new area of the Realm. Instead of rocks and stone, it started to change to sand. The sand connected to a cave that had light emitting from it. Tenebrae exited and was surprised to find a beach. The tropical landscape caught him off-guard. Elements of a child's playground were everywhere, from the treehouse to the racecourse.

"How could such a bright place be overrun? The Heartless would need a powerful beacon. But what could it have been?"

A presence nearby caught his attention. A large door was set up near the base of a tree. He walked up to the door and opened it. To no surprise, the Realm restarted in it. But to his surprise, he saw a copy of his Keyblade. Just like his, it was floating in midair.

"The same Key huh? It is forged here, I guess." He thought out loud. "But this world is new. What could be the connection?"

Tenebrae decided to head back to his previous location. It had been a while since he last set up camp. And something told him he should rest up a while. He cleared an area of the Heartless and staked his claim. He laid down and closed his eyes, deciding to get some well-deserved sleep. -

Tenebrae was sure he was only asleep for a short while. So why now was he hearing a new sound. Instead of the calming sounds of Darkness, there was the sound of a town. The sound reminded him of Daybreak Town.

He slowly opened his eyes and was greeted with a new sight. Instead of the black and purple of the Realm of Darkness, he was met with dark browns and tans of buildings. He seemed to be in an alleyway.

Tenebrae stood up. He pulled on his hood and goggles to cover his features. 'Time to scout.' Tenebrae exited the alley and noticed it was beside a large building. Walking to the front of it, he saw signs for accessories and jewelry. It seemed to be a shop. 'I wonder if a Moogle works there?'

He went down a flight of stairs. To his left was a mailbox. To his right, there was a café under a building's balcony. In front of him, were two lampposts and a large gate.

Tenebrae walked closer to the lampposts. Examining them, they seemed to be stable and in working condition. The large gate intrigued Tenebrae the most. As he got closer to it, he noticed it wasn't linked to anything. Tenebrae felt plenty of Darkness on the other side. 'It isn't a part of the town. Then where does it lead?'

Tenebrae felt a presence come from the gate. He ran off to the side and sat at the café. The large gates opened as a dog, duck and a…dog!? walked through. Two of the beasts were anthropomorphic. The bipedal dog seemed a bit goofy. The duck seemed to be very serious. The other dog was following behind happily.

The bipedal dog looked up and pointed at the sky. Tenebrae looked up and saw a star flicker and die. 'What was that?' The trio then left, the quadrupedal dog noticed something and ran off. Tenebrae felt a presence appear in the location he woke up in.

He waited as all the presences left the area. Including the one that seemed to belong to a young boy. He came from the alleyway and was looking around. His spikey hair and outfit seemed unusual for the world. He ascended the stairs and out of sight.

Tenebrae felt an unusual Light come from the boy. But at the same time, he felt a righteous heart. One fit enough to Wield a Keyblade. 'But all the Wielders are gone. Or I thought they were. Would someone even be able to bequeath one to him?'

Tenebrae needed to learn where he was. He looked and saw an item shop nearby. He entered it and was surprised to see it run by three bipedal ducklings. They had a hat and shirt combo. One in red, another in green, and the last was in blue.

"Welcome to our shop!" They all called.

Tenebrae looked around. It was a small place and well kept. The three ducklings seemed quite well off.

"I was hoping for some information." Tenebrae said. "I'm new to the area. And…"

"Was your world destroyed?" One of them asked.

Destroyed was the best comparison. Though, decimated and crumbling fit better.

"Yes," Tenebrae nodded, feigning sadness. "I was the only one that I know survived."

"Well this is Traverse Town. A world where those with no where to go end up. It has been around since forever."

'A World to house refugees. No wonder there is so much Darkness around. Is this a world in-between Light and Darkness? Just like that other place?'

"I see," Tenebrae faked a smile. Reaching into his pocket and pulled out a pouch. He had been able to save his Munny pouch, and the Heartless seemed to always drop it. "This isn't much but consider it a thank you." He left the Munny on the counter and left.

Tenebrae felt a strong presence of Darkness, that then vanished. It was definitely a Heartless. But what could have vanquished it? It wasn't his place, he had to get back to the Realm of Darkness.

Tenebrae wandered around and investigated more of the area. Tenebrae wasn't sure how he even got in Traverse Town anyway. He saw many buildings and another gate behind the Accessory shop. There were many Dark presences behind it; Heartless, he could tell.

Tenebrae decided to head back toward the main gates. He didn't feel any presences outside in the plaza. That was a little weird. Something felt off…

"Well…well…well. What do we have here?" A new voice called.

Tenebrae reacted and ducked as something flew over his head. A quick glance and Tenebrae saw what could have been a purple bolt. It did not have the form of an arrow though. It looked to be more of a crystal. That still didn't explain how it traveled so fast.

"Oh, look at that! Kiddo's pretty nimble. I'm impressed."

Tenebrae ran to the staircase and hid behind one of the walls. Whoever this was, had a long-range weapon. So long as his back was covered, he would be fine. He needed a plan.

"Pretty smart." Tenebrae flinched. The voice came from in front of him. He looked and saw something pointed at his face. "But not smart enough."

The "weapon" in front of him started to glow. Tenebrae ducked quickly as something was fired from it. He quickly identified that it was a gun-like weapon. Tenebrae jumped to the side to look at his assailant.

All Tenebrae saw was a black hood and coat. What caught Tenebrae's eye was the weapon in their hand. They looked like pistols, or a crossbow? It was some kind of ranged weapon though.

"Oh, come on," the figure said, "At least make this interesting. You are a Heartless, right?"

'Heartless? Can he sense my Darkness?' "I'm just a traveler." He said to his assailant. "Why mistake me for a creature that destroyed my home?"

The hooded figure wagged a finger. "Oh no no no. You don't get to pretend. I know who you are, Wielder from the Age of Fairy Tales."

Tenebrae reacted to the phrase. He jumped back over the wall behind him. He landed near the lampposts and readied himself.

'Who is this guy?' He was ready to summon Kingdom Key D. 'And he knew about my Darkness and my past. But why did he call it a fairy tale?'

Tenebrae kept his eyes trained on the figure. He couldn't portray a helpless victim now. He had to fight, or…

"Tell me something," he called out to the figure, "You know of who or what I am. Yet you hunt me without remorse. You should at least let me hear the name of my killer. If you can kill me that is."

The figure laughed. "The name is Xigbar. And let's just say, I have a suspicion you and I are more alike than you know. But my name isn't what you should worry about, but the name Organization XIII."

'Organization XIII?' Tenebrae thought, 'Not a Union, but what does it mean? And the number? What significance does it bear?'

"Good" Tenebrae smirked. He focused his mana, and aimed his palms at Xigbar, "DARK FIRAGA ERUPTION BURST!" His hands were coated in purple flames that then shot towards the figure. Many purple fireballs impacted and exploded. Tenebrae had a feral grin as the flames erupted.

"Not bad." Tenebrae flinched as something sharp was pressed to his head. "And to think, some of you actually survived. From what I know, you weren't a Dandelion, were you?"

"How did you…" Tenebrae had a bit of relief when the pressure was gone.

"How about this?" Xigbar said "We show our faces and we have a chat?"

Tenebrae turned around and glared at Xigbar. His guns were away, but Tenebrae knew he was fast. Would Tenebrae be able to win without his Keyblade?

"Agreed." Tenebrae reached up and removed his hood, silver hair coming free. He removed his goggles, letting them rest on his chest. He opened his red eyes and looked at Xigbar's brown.

Xigbar seemed to be much older than him. His salt and pepper hair was pulled back into a ponytail. The most noticeable features were a scar on his left cheek and an eyepatch over his right eye. He had a smirk that hid many emotions.

"So, we know what the other looks like," Tenebrae sighed. "My name is Tenebrae. Former member of Unicornus, current Seeker of the Eclipse."

"Tenebrae, huh?" Xigbar smiled. "Interesting name. But the title is on I'm intrigued with. Why 'Eclipse'?"

"I seek a balance of Light and Darkness." Tenebrae noticed how Xigbar, didn't have a heart. But he wasn't a Heartless. "And I wasn't lying when I said I was a traveler."

"Oh, I got that much. Not many can survive in the Realm of Darkness for so long without protection." Xigbar tugged his coat. "And the Organization has these. To help us."

"Well I'm doing just fine. Don't mind me. I need to go home."

Xigbar started to laugh. "Not sure is I can let you. You see, you are a strange one. One who shouldn't exist, but still does. One on the edge of Light and Darkness, but not on either side."

"I'm simply a researcher. A Wielder I may be, but I only seek knowledge to bring about balance."

"Oh! Then I guess we don't need to worry about you after all." Xigbar smiled, but Tenebrae could feel there was more to it. "Alright Little Darkness, you can go. We of the Organization won't hurt you. Nobody's honor."

Tenebrae raised an eyebrow. He knew it wouldn't be that easy. But he would take what he could get. He needed more information but could tell Xigbar would not give any up.

Tenebrae walked past Xigbar. Tenebrae heard him say, "Run from the next war as well." Tenebrae looked to Xigbar, only for him to be gone. Tenebrae growled as he headed towards the gate.

He now realized why there was no one else. There was a separation of space. He figured it out now that Xigbar was gone. "Great, now I have another mystery to solve." -

* * *

A copy Key, a new face, and a new group. How will Tenebrae process all this information? Guess we'll know next time.  
And thanks again to Kale Thunderhorse Lampkin for letting me use Heloa, and let's just say his presence will always be there.  
And let's just say next chapter,we get into the fun stuff lol


	7. Darkness and Emptiness

So this is a quick update, because I had some motivation. So let's get on with the next chapter.

* * *

There were so many variables. The Organization, Xigbar, the fallen Worlds. The anthropomorphic animals, the Heartless that was destroyed by a new Light. Where was all this coming from? Each new thought made his head hurt and the pain lead to anger. Anger lead to bloodlust.

"RRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Tenebrae cut down Heartless after Heartless. He needed to feel something, but only the rage persisted. He wanted answers but was only met with more questions. All of it pissed him off!

"Burn to CINDERS!" An explosion rocked the Realm of Darkness. Tenebrae stood in the epicenter.

It had been a few weeks in the Realm of Darkness. How long was that in the Realm of Light? He didn't care. The more time away from there the better.

'I'm not able to leave easily,' he thought, 'If I leave via a portal, I need to come back to recharge. There needs to be a way I can crossover with little side effects. But how?'

He spent a lot of time traveling to and from Traverse Town. The population of Heartless was vastly different than the ones in the Realm of Darkness. There were more in Traverse Town with the Emblem on them. The Emblem of the Heartless.

"Why is the Darkness growing in that Realm? What is happening?"

Tenebrae was in the Realm of Darkness again. He decided to travel for a bit and see if there were any new areas to explore. With more worlds falling to the Darkness, it would only be a matter of time before the Realm was filled. The thought excited and worried Tenebrae.

As he traveled through the Realm, Tenebrae felt like there were eyes on him. It wasn't Heloa, that feeling was familiar. The eyes looked at him with the curiosity of a child and the blood lust of a monster. It had a feeling of Darkness to it.

"Are you lost?" A new voice asked. It sounded young and feminine. It giggled as it said, "Because being lost here, could mean your life."

Tenebrae rolled his eyes as he said, "Oh yes, I'm very lost. And I would love to have some help."

Tenebrae summoned his Keyblade and parried a strike to his back. A figure flew past him, attempting to destroy him. He turned quickly to the new figure and was surprised with what he saw. A girl! No… a young woman, no older than him. She had ditry blonde hair in pigtails, they looked like some weird antenna. She was wearing a yellow top with blue shorts. Darkness shrouded her shoulders and arms. What shocked Tenebrae the most were her facial features; she had yellow eyes and cracks on her forehead.

Her movements were erratic, even while she was standing still. Tenebrae sensed great Darkness from her, but also something else. He didn't have enough time to analyze her before she struck again.

The newcomer came flying at Tenebrae. She fought barehanded, clawing and slashing at him. Occasionally she would kick, but mostly used her hands. It almost looked like she had once wielded a weapon.

Tenebrae blocked, dodged, and parried her attacks. With the way the girl fought, she left no openings. But her style was erratic and wild. She did seem to understand the need to protect her weak points. The newcomer did overextend, Tenebrae took the opportunity to counter.

His eyes widened as he felt her claws in his chest. 'She got past my guard!? But SHE overextended! How did she?'

Tenebrae looked into yellow eyes that were filled with glee and bloodthirst. There was something very wrong with her. And that was enough to make his rage and bloodlust boil.

Tenebrae grabbed the arm in her chest and released his Keyblade. Grabbing her face, Tenebrae slammed the newcomer to the ground.

"BURN TO NOTIHNG!" Purple flames erupted from him. The light illuminated the Realm of Darkness.

When the flames receded, Tenebrae looked down and smiled. There was nothing left of her. He wiped some blood off his chest and licked it. There was something delicious about his own blood.

"Sloppy!"

Tenebrae felt something pierce his back. He looked down and saw the girl's arm, through his chest. The Darkness surrounding her arm was more sinister with his added blood. But what caught his attention was how it flickered, like a glitch.

The arm was ripped free as Tenebrae fell forward. Tenebrae lay on the floor of the Realm. He saw the girl walk in front of him. She was licking his blood off her arm, but other than that, was unharmed.

"Why did he pick you?" She kept licking his blood but had the gall to use an innocent voice. "You aren't like us. You still have a heart, and…" she hissed the next word. "LIGHT."

She raised her arm, poised to strike again. "I guess I'll just need to get rid of it."

"Enough!"

Tenebrae recognized the voice. Heloa appeared next to the girl. He stroked he chin, and she practically melted. "Hello again, old friend."

Tenebrae spat some blood on the ground. Why was this shadow still following him?

"No need to glare like that. I saved your life." Heloa crouched in front of him. "I know you are stronger than this. You were waiting for a chance to let Second Chance activate and strike down my ally. That is just like you."

Tenebrae stayed silent. Of course, Heloa would see through his plan. But the girl catching him off-guard was not part of it. She was strong, there was no doubt there.

"Come Hashley," Heloa said as he stood and walked away. The girl, Hashley, followed behind like a lovesick puppy. "Be grateful, Tenebrae, you get to live another day."

Tenebrae waited until the pair left. He released his mana and his wounds healed. The Curaga worked to near perfection. "Good thing I studied Healing magic. It worked out when she struck me from behind. But why was this Hashley attacking me in the first place? And why was she with Heloa?"

Tenebrae rubbed his chest and saw his clothes regenerate as well. It was a good thing his mana was infused with most of his items. He still felt any damage, but at least he didn't have to worry about his laundry.

The battle did drain him. He went to a safe zone and slept. He used more mana than usual, and for the first time in a while, he fell asleep. -

-Tenebrae, Tenebrae~~~-

-Why did you leave me? –

Tenebrae saw a visage of pink and purple. He felt tears run down his face as he stared at her. The only person who made him feel like he belonged. The one person who entered his heart. The only person he loved.

She walked up to him. She placed her hands on his cheeks. A warm smile was on her face, that then became bloody. Her hands became warm.

-We'll be together again. Isn't that great? – The flames from her hands erupted, covering him.

Tenebrae yelled in shock as he woke up. He was sweating badly. He felt his face and noticed tears. He wiped them away quickly and hardened his features. He got up and walked around.

The landscape seemed to change again. Tenebrae was still in the Realm of Darkness. He knew some time had passed, because every few weeks or so, the Realm would change. He must have needed a lot of time to recover. But the dream was on the forefront of his mind. He put it to the back as he proceeded.

Tenebrae felt a shift in the wind. Something was going on in the Realms. The Realm of Darkness was getting stronger, someone was causing it. Tenebrae realized it by how much stronger the Heartless became. He was finishing some recon when he heard something.

Someone gasped behind him. He turned to the source and saw a young woman, who had a weird resemblance to Hashley. She wore the same coat as Xigbar, with a black hairband holding back straight dirty blonde hair. Her Violet eyes were looking at him in shock, or more specifically his Keyblade. She had one as well, the blade was pink and purple with a crown topped with hearts, the hilt was red with a guard the shape of a heart.

Tenebrae turned to the girl and asked, "Who are you?"

The girl readied her weapon. "No, you first!" She demanded.

'Oh, she is vastly different from the other. He smiled at her. "My name is Tenebrae." He placed Kingdom Key D on his shoulder, showing he had no intention to fight.

"I'm Shaylex," the girl lowered her weapon. "What are you doing in the Realm of Darkness? You don't look like a Heartless, and I can sense a heart in you, so you aren't a Nobody."

'That term again. Nobody. And she can sense hearts.' Tenebrae nodded. "Right on all accounts. "I'm not a Heartless and I'm not a Nobody, but I'm not exactly whole either. You seem to be a full-blown Nobody. You retained your body even after losing your heart." Just like Xigbar. "And judging by the coat, you're a part of Organization XIII?"

Shaylex nodded. "You're correct. So, you heard of us then?" Xigbar came to mind.

"Stories here and there. I'm not one to get mixed up in stuff like that. I came here to further my studies into the Darkness. Heard tales of an ancient Keyblade of Darkness. This one to be exact, and I came looking for it." He lifted the Kingdom Key D and admired it. Shaylex seemed to have mixed feelings about it. "Why are you here?"

Shaylex looked down and seemed sad. "I came to get away from everything. Today hasn't exactly been my cup of tea. I lost a good friend and found some interesting truths about my past… if it's true. I have little memory of my past."

She was being guarded. Which was smart on her end. But there was a more pressing concern to him.

"Huh, well how long have you been wielding a Keyblade?"

Shaylex looked relieved for the change of subject. "I was given one when I was a kid. It's the only memory of my past that I retained but I only managed to unlock its power a few months ago. Before I lost my heart when my world was destroyed. You?"

Her story sounded like all the union members. Being given the ability to use a Keyblade as a child, and then training to gain access to it. "Same as you. Was bequeathed one years ago when I was a kid. Unlocked my powers a few years later. Joined my Union, and after a few years left in my pursuit of the Darkness. Been on my own ever since."

Shaylex seemed surprised. "Union?"

'She must not have been in one. Meaning she got her Keyblade after the War.' "Yeah, Unions. All Keyblade Wielders joined one of five different Unions, long before the big war happened." He didn't want to overwhelm her.

"War?" she asked. Guess it was too late. "So there was a war. How long ago was that?"

Time flowed differently in the Realm of Darkness. "Hard to tell. It's been many years. I left that part of my life behind before the war started." Flashes of memories of the other Wielders appeared, especially Laci and Keval. "Why?" he raised an eyebrow.

"It's just…" Shaylex seemed hesitant to explain her inquiry. "I ran into someone who said I knew them from the past. He spoke of a war and everything. It's been quite a night."

Someone who was in the War? And if they knew Shaylex before the that, then she was from the Unions. Why wouldn't she remember? "I see, if he knew you, then you must have been part of a Union and fought in the War. But something caused you to lose your memories. Sorry if I'm reading into it."

Shaylex chuckled, it was a relieved sound. "No, it makes sense. It's just a lot to take in. As I said, it's been a long day."

"Maybe if you wrote it all down. It may help." Researchers did it all the time.

"I actually have a journal, thanks." Oh, good she was in a better mood, to be making quips like that.

He did want more information from her. "oh, okay then. Say, you look like you could use a friend. Or at least someone to help let out your frustration."

"Thanks. But I've had enough of friendships for one lifetime." Tenebrae could understand her mindset. It was like his. "The only person I can count on is…"

"Yourself? I learned that a long time ago." He did have another idea. "Then how about a partner? You could use another hand in your mission, right?" He would be able to sate his bloodlust and gain more information on Nobodies.

He dismissed his Keyblade and hold out the same hand.

Shaylex thought about it. "Hmmm, okay then, I'll team up with you. As long as you don't mind taking down loads of Heartless." She dismissed her own Keyblade and shook his hand.

Tenebrae got a read on her energy and mana. "Ha! Are you kidding? I'm always itching for some action."

"Okay, meet me outside the Organization's castle tomorrow morning and we'll go on a mission together." Shaylex seemed a bit happier.

"Sounds good! See you tomorrow, Shaylex."

"Right back at ya, Tenebrae. And thanks for the chat. You helped me out."

Tenebrae felt genuine pleasure from helping her. "No problem!" he said.

Both Wielders nodded before going their separate ways. Tenebrae felt Shaylex open a portal. The corridor lead to a place connected to the Realm of Darkness, but it also wasn't. It was almost like a world in between Light and Darkness, like Traverse Town.

'This will be interesting.' Tenebrae thought as Shaylex walked through. 'Guess I have a new place to explore. But also, a means of traveling, without relying on my own power.'

Tenebrae went back to his little campsite. He memorized the location, making sure to keep its energy signature in mind. He was only going to rest for a short time. He didn't want to miss the timing of the Realms. -

* * *

And we are finally synchronized! We are finally connected to Shaylex-Cosplay's Light Protector Fanfic. And her's is the reason we even started this entire universe, so go give her story, A New Destiny, a read. It is much farther ahead and a great read.  
If things look familiar from her Fanfic, it's because the conversation is from there, I just did it from Tenebrae's perspective. I will thank Shaylex for letting me use both Hashley and Shaylex, and Kale Thunerhorse Lampkin for letting me use Heloa.  
Let's see how well Tenebrae does on his next mission.


	8. Assignments and Information

Happy Belated New Year! We are continuing on with the story. If you haven't already, check out Shaylex-Cosplay's story A New Destiny, most of this chapter is based off of her story.

Now on with the show!

* * *

Tenebrae opened a portal into a new world. He had followed what mana he could and was surprised to find it was a world between Realms. The black streets and buildings had some interesting architecture. It looked more futuristic compared to Daybreak Town. But there was more to it than that.

Tenebrae looked up and saw a white floating castle. And behind it was a… heart-shaped moon!?

'That can't be!' Tenebrae was shocked. The feeling was new, but the power was unmistakable. 'Kingdom Hearts!?'

The heart-shaped moon was different though. There was a darkness to it.

"I guess that is why Shaylex mentioned slaying Heartless. But Kingdom Hearts needs a special Key to be unlocked. So, what it that?"

Tenebrae walked through the streets. As he did, he cut through any Heartless that dared to approach. Weak they may have been, but many as well. There was almost no end to them, and Tenebrae loved it.

After he had a warm-up, he proceeded to the castle. 'That was where Shaylex had asked to meet. I'm not to enter, but still, why do I feel dread from this?' Tenebrae made it to the cliff that separated the city from the castle. He had no way of getting across.

Tenebrae looked up at the castle. There was a symbol on the largest pillar. It looked to be an upside-down white heart, with a four-pronged star connected to it. Tenebrae didn't recall every seeing a symbol like it before. He was able to connect the dots when he saw Shaylex step out of a corridor of Darkness. 'Could be a symbol like the Heartless. But for Nobodies?'

"Good morning." Shaylex said.

"Morning," Tenebrae nodded. "What is this mission for today?"

"We are going to a world called Agrabah," Shaylex explained. "It's a world covered in sand and heat. Your clothes don't seem to be suited for it."

"I'll be fine," Tenebrae said nonchalantly. "My clothes are unique. They link to my mana and I'm able to regulate my temperature."

"That's almost like my cloak," Shaylex smiled. "Then I guess we should get going."

Shaylex opened a corridor behind him. Tenebrae turned and walked into it, Shaylex following behind him. This corridor was different than what he was normally used to. Instead of near instant transport, the pair was walking down what seemed to be a hallway. The same symbol from before was there, many copies of it rotated around them.

"Follow me. We need to keep moving before we get ejected," Shaylex said, before moving to the other end of the hallway.

Tenebrae followed behind. When the two exited through another corridor, Tenebrae was unprepared. A large gust of heated wind and sand nearly knocked him off his feet. He quickly pilled on his goggles to stop the sand from stinging.

"Alright. The mission is to collect hearts within the city," Shaylex said, "I teleported us out here to avoid suspicion. But the Heartless will be flashy regardless."

"Alright then, let's proceed." Tenebrae felt like he was back in Daybreak Town. It was like was back with his Union, doing group missions. He suppressed the memory as he followed Shaylex into the city.

The giant stone walls lead into what seemed to be an entry point. There were some stalls and storage areas. Another walled gate seemed to separate it and the market. A large mound of sand was off to the side. Many scaffoldings could be seen as well.

As soon as the pair entered the city, they were met with Heartless. Shaylex summoned her Keyblade and charged at the ones on the ground. Tenebrae ran for the mound to attack the ones above. They made quick work of the Heartless, with Tenebrae's bloodlust almost peaking.

When the Heartless in the area was defeated, Tenebrae looked down from his perch. "Looks like we can both proceed from our levels," he called down. When Shaylex looked up at him, he continued, "I can see a doorway to go through. I'll go on up here, can you take care of the ones on the ground?"

"I can do more than that," Shaylex said with a smirk. "Don't fall too far behind." She then proceeded through the gate to the market.

Tenebrae jumped onto another roof and proceeded through the doorway. He saw Shaylex surrounded by Heartless below and got ready to intervene. A presence behind him made him dive forward as a group of Heartless surrounded him. "I guess it's playtime."'

Tenebrae relished in the fight. He cut through the Heartless and was able to quell his bloodlust. It was good of to help the Nobody. He did want to know how Shaylex made her corridors, it might be able to help with his recharge issue.

When the last of the Heartless was slain, he looked over to Shaylex and saw her finish up as well. More Heartless seemed to be appearing, so he jumped down to provide backup. Back to back, the two Wielders finished off the Heartless in the area.

"They are getting stronger." Tenebrae was breathing heavily.

"Yeah, and more seem to be appearing than usual. I think Maleficent is almost ready with her plan." Shaylex seemed to be going over information she had, not really talking directly to him. Tenebrae listened anyway. "But from what Riku was saying yesterday, they're still searching for one or more of their pure hearts. From what I can gather, they already have 3 confirmed. Alice, Jasmine, and Belle. It is a possibility that Kairi could be one, because of her current situation."

'Hearts of pure light?'Teenbrae thought. 'Could it be?'

"What is her current situation, if you don't mind me asking?" he said aloud.

Shaylex looked at him. He saw something in her eyes as she did. "Kairi lost her heart, the day the islands were destroyed, just like me. But her Nobody was never created. Her body became an empty, lifeless shell. When I saw her yesterday, I felt her body, and there was not a touch of Darkness. Just pure Light. Hence why she is not a Nobody like me." Some of Shaylex's information seemed to be second-hand.

But it still sounded like what he knew. "If that's the case, does that make her a Princess of Heart?" Tenebrae deduced.

Shaylex looked confused. Looking at him, she asked, "Princess of Heart?"

Tenebrae tried to recall the information. "Yeah, it's a tale heard years ago. 7 girls, pure of heart, completely untouched by Darkness, are chosen to become the Princesses of Heart. Their task, keeping the balance of Light in check. To keep it from going out." This was information he never thought would come in handy. "I read about it in a library, when I was beginning my studies into the Darkness."

Shaylex rested a hand on her chin, thinking. "Makes sense. But why would Kairi be chosen?"

Tenebrae rested Kingdom Key D on his shoulder. "You know her better than I do."

"Hmm. She came to the islands when she was 5, the night of a meteor shower. Something must have happened to her home world and the Light protected her."

'A meteor shower? Could that be the same as the star going out a while ago?' Tenebrae thought.

Out loud he said, "Quite possibly. But what was the old World?"

Shaylex's answer didn't help. "She doesn't remember her past at all. Similar to me."

An idea came to mind. "Well there's only one place that might have answers. Traverse town. I've been there a few times and a lot of people go there to start new lives after…" Tenebrae realized the next phrase was a red flag. Shaylex had witnessed it herself.

"Their worlds are destroyed," Shaylex finished the thought. She seemed at ease saying it. "I know, I've been there. It's where I found Sora and Riku the first time after the Islands were destroyed. It wasn't a good reunion." That thought seemed to put her in a bad mood.

"So, there must be someone there who could help us out, right?" Tenebrae asked. He knew better than to pry.

"Could be. Okay, then once we are done here, we'll go to Traverse Town." Shaylex said.

Tenebrae nodded as Shaylex took the lead. They fought some more Heartless in another area close to a large gate. When Shaylex said they collected enough hearts, she opened a corridor. The pair stepped through into Traverse Town.

Their destination was different than normal. They appeared in a plaza of sorts, in front od a fountain that depicted a pair of dogs. Three ramps could be seen; two continuing to an area behind the fountain, the last one leading to another direction. A large door, with the number 1 was in front of them.

'The Third District?' Tenebrae thought.

"Maybe it's best if we split up," Shaylex suggested. "We can cover more ground that way."

Tenebrae nodded. He headed up the ramp towards the Second District. He looked back and saw Shaylex walk through the gate of the First District.

Tenebrae went through his own door. The alleyway was as inviting as usual. Heartless spawned everywhere he walked. He struck them down with ease. Having sated his battle hunger, these Heartless were more annoying than normal.

Tenebrae felt a shift in power here. It became a bit more apparent with the information Shaylex gave him. But maybe that could work in his favor. He needed a way to get out of the Realm of Darkness, with little side effect. What if this Maleficent had a means to do so?

Tenebrae felt some presences, non-Heartless for once, and jumped to a higher ledge. He was able to make it to the roof of a nearby building, when he saw a small group leave the hotel. There were three individuals; a young man with long brown hair, a young woman with brown hair in a braid, and a young girl with short black hair. The three of them went down the alleyway toward the Third District.

'Those three look important,' Tenebrae thought as the trio went through the door. He waited a few minutes before jumping into the alleyway. He followed them but tried to keep is mana down. He noticed them go into a house as he entered the Third District. 'There you are.'

Tenebrae leaned against the wall of the building. He wanted to get a good earful, without looking suspicious.

"I can't believe it! We get our home back!" This voice sounded energetic, young and feminine.

"Yes, after so many years," this voice was also feminine but more soothing "I wonder if we will be able to rebuild?"

"We have to. Hollow bastion can't stay as it is." This voice was masculine, sounding both tired and determined. "And if Sora can defeat Maleficent, it will make everything better. Once that happens, we can return to our home."

'Maleficent?' Tenebrae thought, 'That was the name Shaylex mentioned was behind this. And Sora, where have I heard that name before? Either way, this news is interesting. I should look around some more.'

Tenebrae moved from his spot and went back to the Second District. He walked through the alleyway and came to an open path. He looked towards a mural and noticed something; the feeling of a Heart. There was a barrier protecting it though. A barrier that felt like a lock.

'I know all things have hearts, even worlds,' Tenebrae thought. 'Could this have been a safety precaution? But by whom?'

Tenebrae ascended a staircase that lead to another level. Walking in front of a giant gate, he walked towards the nearest building. The building seemed to be a hotel of sorts. Going inside, he noticed a few doors and a desk. No one was around and there didn't seem to be anything worth exploring. He cut through some Heartless as he left.

Tenebrae decided it would be best to leave the hotel. When exited, he saw Shaylex running up to him. She seemed to have a relieved smile on her face.

"I found out where Sora is heading! A world called Hollow Bastion." Shaylex said happily.

'Sora? The same name from earlier. Shaylex knows him?'

Tenebrae nodded before he spoke. "Yeah, I overheard some people talking in a house in the Third District about Hollow Bastion. That's apparently where Maleficent is."

Shaylex had a determined look on her face. She nodded before saying, "I know where I'm going next. Hollow Bastion. Time to kick the crap out of Riku." She threw a fist up in the air. Tenebrae couldn't help but nod at her enthusiasm.

That enthusiasm seemed to fade when a corridor appeared. Out of it stepped a tall man. He was dressed in a coat like Shaylex. His long red hair looked almost like a mane. His green eyes looked at Shaylex with urgency. The purple triangles under his eyes made them pop.

"Shaylex. You're needed back at the castle. Urgetnly…" the tall man seemed to notice Tenebrae standing beside her. "Oh, I didn't realize you made a friend."

"Axel, his name is Tenebrae." Shaylex explained. "He is a Wielder, like me. We're only working together to collect more hearts. I've been trying to find out where Maleficent is hiding."

"That's why you're needed back at the castle," Axel said, "Xemnas wants to speak to everyone. Come on Shaylex." He pointed to the corridor that had not vanished.

"Okay." Turning to Tenebrae, Shaylex said, "Sorry Tenebrae. But if Xemnas has called a meeting, then it's serious."

He nodded to her. Tenebrae remembered meeting with Master Ira. "I Understand. Go, I'll be waiting for you though."

He watched as the two Nobodies went through the corridor. 'With the name Xemnas, that makes 4. Can 13 mean the number of people in their ranks? If so, could that have a correlation to the 7 Princesses of Heart? And what of the Kingdom Hearts copy in her world?'

More questions and not enough answers. Tenebrae was getting nowhere. Shaylex was guarded and that was fine. He had been like that too. And she was strong enough to handle herself.

"Not much I can do," Tenebrae said as he walked to the First District. He walked past a blond man with a toothpick in his mouth. "I have no need to go to Hollow Bastion. But if the Princesses of Heart are there, then what could it mean. They only house the Light so it can live on."

Tenebrae went to the cafe and sat down. He ordered a drink and some snacks.

'Going to the Hollow Bastion is a bad idea anyway. Even without including Shaylex, there are too many individuals going there for some reason. 'He thought as he had his snack. 'Maleficent, Sora, Riku, that trio That already has signs for a big battle. And the Organization itself, do they plan to do anything? Shaylex did find the information after all. It could be of use to them.'

Tenebrae finished his snack and paid. He left through the large gates and headed back to the Realm of Darkness. -

* * *

And here we are. This chapter was easier since I had a base to work on thanks to Shaylex-Cosplay. And let's just say that after this chapter, things will be getting weirder for Tenebrae.

Unitl next time!


	9. Defeat and Discovery

Hey everyone! Things are going to get interesting. Since we are getting to the end of KH 1, things will be diverting away from the main storyline, but thing are going to get interesting.  
So let's get on with the story!

* * *

Tenebrae wasn't sure what to do. He had come back to the Realm of Darkness to recharge. But he had a nagging feeling. One that made him feel guilty, for not doing anything. His heart was telling him to help, but help with what? What could he do in a fight that wasn't his? It wouldn't have been right.

"None of these people have any connection to me," Tenebrae sighed. He met Shaylex by chance, recently as well. And Maleficent, Riku, and Sora were people she knew. "Why should I feel guilty for not doing anything?"

Tenebrae had lost his will to fight for now. He made camp and messed with his element. He was both happy and sad with the color it became. His flames used to shine as bright as Light. But now, they were corrupted like him. The purple flames taunted him.

"Maybe she has more of a connection than you think?"

Tenebrae groaned as he saw Heloa and Hashley walk up to him. Both looked like predators ready to pounce. He really didn't want to deal with them. They were too strong to fight on his own.

"And what makes you say that?" Tenebrae looked up with a raised eyebrow. "She may not have been part of the Unions, but a Dandelion could have given her a Keyblade. If that were the case, I still don't see your point."

Heloa walked behind Hashley and put his hands on her shoulders. Hashley seemed to shudder in pleasure. "She is the point. She is a key to one of your answers. The one who holds certain… memories."

'Memories?' Tenebrae looked quizzical, "And why should these memories matter to me? I don't even know who she is."

"You may not," Hashley giggled. "But I do. I know you, and I know you are a coward! You ran away and left us to die. Heloa even asked you to stay and fight."

'Did she mean Keval?' Tenebrae thought, 'I didn't even talk to him before I left.'

"Heloa doesn't know me," Tenebrae said, "It was his other, his Light, that I knew. Whatever THAT is," Tenebrae pointed to Heloa, "I don't know it. And I'm tempted to destroy both of you."

"Can you though?" Heloa smirked. "I know who you are and your darkest fear. And you are a coward, I can tell."

Tenebrae growled as he waited. He wasn't prepared to deal with the two of them. Hashley was able to outmaneuver him. Heloa seemed to have the strength of a master, he could tell.

"Chirithy got your tongue?" Hashely giggled. "Or are you finally going to accept my darling as your Master. You know you can't beat us."

"SCREW YOU!" Tenebrae summoned Kingdom Key D and rushed the two Dark Beings. "Dark Firaga Surge!" Dark flames shourded Tenebrae as he charged at the pair.

Heloa just smirked. Right before Tenebrae reached Hashley, a bolt of lightning made of Darkness struck him. Not only did it hurt badly, but it stopped him in his tracks.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Tenebrae screamed in agony as electricity coursed through his body. It wasn't even normal lightning. It was mixed with ailments that forced Tenebrae to the floor.

"Told you," Hashley said in a mocking tone. She raised her hand, poised to strike. "You still have that pesky Light in you. Why don't we take care of it?"

"No, no, no," Heloa said, grabbing her arm. "If we do it, he won't be one of us. He needs to want to get rid of it himself. You do realize how weak you are now, Tenebrae?"

Tenebrae struggled just to look up and glare at him. This was insane! A Heartless should not have had so much power. Adding Hashley's abilities made it asinine. Tenebrae knew he was too weak now, but why did it have to be like this?

Hashley got out of Heloa's grip and crouched by Tenebrae. "You know, I have memories of you abandoning everyone. Though you look a lot different. All Heloa wanted at the time was to be your friend. And What did you do? You mocked him and belittled his birthright. He is a natural born leader," She stepped on his head, "And you are nothing but a spineless little bookworm, that no one likes!" She kept stepping on him, even kicking him.

Heloa chuckled as Hashley kept kicking him. The Keval look-a-like seemed to be enjoying the display. Tenebrae saw a look of disappointment and glee. It looked like he was waiting for Tenebrae to break.

Hashley reared back and kicked Tenebrae into a nearby cliff wall. The impact cause him to cough up some blood. He fell to the floor with a thud. Almost every fiber of his being screamed in agony. The lightning was still in his system, and there was no way he could win.

"Hashley dear, he has had enough." Heloa walked up to the two. "I think we proved that his power is insufficient. So long as he retains his Light, he will never know true power."

"I think you're right, darling," Hashley said sweetly. "Light is a weakness. And now you know, bookworm. But consider that payback for ditching the war."

The two beings walked away. Tenebrae could only wallow in pity as they did. How could he be so weak? What was missing?

'I*s this why the Darkness is feared?' Tenebrae thought. His nerves and senses realigned, and he was able to move. 'I the Darkness was strong, and I know I've gotten stronger. But there is such a big difference in power. Has the Light always made people weak?'

Tenebrae limped to a safe zone. He couldn't figure it out, but there was something interesting. Hashley and Shaylex. Shaylex said she met another Union Member but had no memories before the Keyblade War. Hashley had memories that made it obvious she was there before the War. They looked the same but had different styles.

'But Shaylex has a Keyblade. Hashley fought bare handed. How could it be possible?' Tenebrae thought back to their conversations. 'Wait a sec. Shaylex had mentioned her friend, Kairi, losing her heart but no Nobody was created. I know hearts could fall to Darkness, but what could that mean for hearts of Light. I wonder…'

Tenebrae needed more time to think. His mana was low after his recovery, and he could barely stay awake. It took all he could to stay awake and heal. He rested for what he believed was the night, He needed more information. -

Tenebrae wasn't sure how much time had passed before he woke up. He did know it couldn't have been more than a day. His wounds had recovered, and his man was charged.

There was a change on the wind. Tenebrae felt like it was Maleficent's doing. He headed toward the source of his feeling. He found himself back at the bright beach. The sands and waves almost filled him with Light, but it wasn't enough.

He walked to the same door, set inside a tree's roots. He opened it and was surprised to see a pair of figures. He recognized the woman he saw a while ago, and next to her was an anthropomorphic mouse. The mouse seemed to be wielding the Keyblade he saw inside before.

'And what do you need that for?' Tenebrae thought, as he hid beside the door.

Before his inquiry could be answered, a swarm of Heartless shot pst him into the door. They coiled around the pair and threw them out. He used the opportunity to run inside. In the distance was a large set of double, with a stain glass window above and in the center of each door. The door was ajar as the Realm of Darkness seemed to pour out of it.

'No way… It's can't be!' Tenebrae was awestruck. This presence, it felt just like the moon in Shaylex's world. Kingdom Hearts! 'None of this is making sense. Kingdom Hearts can't be accessed like this. Legends told of a special key.'

Tenebrae walked to it and examined the door. It was an immense power; one he had no hope of matching. 'But maybe one I can use. It's possible for Darkness to leave. Can a Key of Darkness gain entry?'

Tenebrae jumped back and summoned Kingdom Key D. He held the Keyblade up in front of him. He began to chant, "Oh, Kingdom Hearts, Light of the Worlds. Power beyond that of the Keyblade." He raised the Keyblade as a light shined from it. "With this Key of Darkness, I ask for passage to the Light. With this Key, I seek strength to grow stronger. With this Darkness, I seek to protect the Light!"

Kingdom Hearts flashed. Tenebrae wasn't sure if it worked. He did feel a force call to him. Readying himself, Tenebrae made a dash for the door. He jumped through the Light and saw his shadow connect him to the Realm of Darkness. "Go away!" He cut his shadow and was sent flying into an abyss. As he fell, he summoned a portal, hoping to mimic Shaylex's corridors. It opened and he fell through.

Tenebrae exited the portal and landed face first on smooth stone. When he sat up, he saw the stone was a sunset color. He looked up and saw a train station, that connected to a clock tower.

'That looks like the tower I received Kingdom Key D from.' Tenebrae recalled. 'This world was on the cusp of Light and Darkness. I wonder if the power shifted. I can feel Hearts here now, others are here.'

Tenebrae put on his goggles as he walked down a paved hill. Many buildings had the same sunset theme, and there were even a few shops. He descended until he came to an intersection. Tenebrae decided to go to the left, seeing a train of sorts in the distance. The path lead to a wide area with a paved track. There were many more buildings and shops.

'I wonder where I am?' He thought as he looked around. 'This isn't Traverse Town. And I sense more Light here than Darkness. Guess a good note is that I no longer fell a pull to retreat to the Realm of Darkness.'

Tenebrae walked up to a shop that had a lot of beautiful flowers. Hew saw some pink roses next to some lilacs, and tears came to his eyes, 'Laci, I was weak then and I'm weak now. I'm glad I never confessed.'

His ears perked as heard the shopkeeper speak. "Well it's only been a few days. I'm sure you'll see her again." It was feminine and familiar, like a voice he heard years ago.

"Come on Cetus, I had her. I saw her and she had the necklace. It was Ash. I know it!" This voice was masculine and filled Tenebrae with a myriad of emotions.

Tenebrae turned the corner of the shop. The two figures he saw, made him do a double take. There was no way! It couldn't have been them! -

* * *

Yes I did a cliffhanger. Only because I would have had a long chapter. But we are finally introducing and interacting with more Light Protectors.  
And the next few chapters will be focused on each of the Protectors and how Tenebrae interacts with them. Speaking of intereactons, thanks to Kale Thunderhorse Lampkin and Shaylex_Cosplay for letting me use Heloa and Hashley, and believe me the pair will come back later. Tenebrae needs REVENGE!

So tune in next time!


	10. Re-connection and Meeting

Alright everyone, new chapter. And it continues on from the cliffhanger.

Don't expect much action or story, but some surprises.

* * *

'No! No freaking way!' Tenebrae thought. 'It can't be!'

Standing before Tenebrae, talking to each other, were Keval and Cetus. Both didn't seem to change much from the Unions. But their auras were different from before.

Keval had the same short-spiked dark blonde hair. And he seemed to be growing a beard, for short blond hair was growing from his chin. He was wearing a white muscle shirt under a black and red jacket, with red shorts to complete the outfit. He was still fighting fit, and had that damned charismatic, charming smile.

Cetus didn't seem to have change much either. She had the same shoulder length brown hair, with a blue headband. She seemed to have the same black wrappings on her arm as well. The only difference Tenebrae noticed was her outfit. Before she wore a design that had looked to be like a galaxy. Now here dress was a bluish-green color, with black close to the collar. There was something off in her eyes though.

"Even if it was your friend," Cetus said, "Maybe things changed. It has been a while, maybe she just forgot."

"OUR friend Cetus," Keval said crossing his arms, "Ash IS our friend. Geez, why are you acting like this?"

"Because I don't know who she is," Cetus said defensively, "All I know is that I have a customer who hasn't bought anything, acting like I'm his therapist."

"Glad to see your personality hasn't changed," Keval sighed heavily, "But I'm still worried about her. And I know the others will be happy to see her."

'Others?' Tenebrae walked up to the shop, looking at the flowers. 'And who is Ash?'

"Hush, I have a customer," Cetus said, walking towards Tenebrae, "Maybe he will buy something. Hello! Welcome to my flower shop! Were you looking for anything in particular?"

"I was interested in a certain flower," Tenebrae said, I believe the name was…" He said the next word loud enough for Keval to hear, "Forget-me-not."

Keval looked over to Tenebrae and raised an eyebrow. There was no recognition in his expression. That worked for Tenebrae.

Tenebrae looked back to Cetus. "Was it not a flower to signify love and memories?"

"True love and memories," Cetus corrected him, "And yes, it does. You are quite knowledgeable. Are you looking to buy a few?"

"I spent a lot of time in my school's library. So, I read up on them. I like to read many kinds of books for when I traveled. How much would one cost?"

"Only 10 Munny," Cetus said, "Are you sure you don't want a bouquet? You could use them for whoever you plan to confess to."

Tenebrae smiled and paid Cetus. "I only need the one. I lost that chance years ago. Something huge broke us apart. But what can I say," He looked at Keval as he finished his thought, "she had the _key _to my heart."

Tenebrae saw Keval's eye widen before walking away. He heard some muffled chatter and then footsteps. Tenebrae ducked into an alley and waited. He saw Keval enter within a few moments.

"You're a Wielder?" Keval asked.

Tenebrae removed his goggles, resting them on his chest, and held the Forget-me-not in his left hand. His red eyes met Keal's dark hazel ones. Without a word, Tenebrae summoned Kingdom Key D. Its golden blade shined in the sunlight. He put the flower behind his ear and slid into his stance.

Keval summoned a Keyblade as well. It wasn't the same as the one before the war. It was a white Keyblade, with teeth that looked like a star. The yellow edge of the teeth faded into blue then into white to match the blade. The guard looked to be a pair of folded angel wings. The keychain looked like a seashell star.

"Guess we do this the hard way," Keval said, lightning sparking off him.

"When two Wielders of equal strength clash, their true nature is revealed," Tenebrae said, coating Kingdom Key D in purple flames. "I don't want to fight, just confirm. So, protect yourself!"

Tenebrae jumped as high as he could with his Keyblade above him. He swung down with all is might. Luckily, Keval did block, adding his own element into his Keyblade. The resulting explosion was a mix of flames and electricity. The shockwave sent Tenebrae back as he slid to a stop.

Memories had flashed as soon as they clashed. Memories of them arguing. Memories of the group missions they did. Memories of Keval trying to befriend him, and Tenebrae's outburst prior to his departure.

Keval had a look of disbelief and recognition.

Tenebrae just smiled. "Good to see you again, Keval of Unicornus. I'm Tenebrae, of the same Union."

Keval didn't say anything. Instead, he dismissed his Keyblade and ran up to bearhug Tenebrae. The gesture was not what the Seeker was expecting.

"Wha… What the hell!?" Tenebrae pushed Keval's face to make him let got. "What the hell was that?"

"Sorry man, I just…" There were tears in Keval's eyes. "I just thought you perished, and it was my fault. I didn't find you before the War. And, I was worried you still hated me. But man, am I glad you survived."

Tenebrae wasn't sure how to react. He and Keval hadn't seen eye to eye, he knew that much. But he never thought Keval thought so highly of him. Tenebrae recalled times when the two argued over trivial things. How did Keval look at him with such kindness?

"I wouldn't say I survived," Tenebrae looked away ashamed, "I ran away, like a coward. I ran when everyone chose to stay and fight. I abandoned my Union, all because I was scared to be deemed a traitor."

"You always were a smart one," Keval laughed, "Running was probably the best choice. The War was brutal. I'm not sure how many really survived. But my Party and I did, well most of us."

Tenebrae saw the recollection and sadness in his expression. Seeing him now, this was definitely Keval. But then what was Heloa? They looked the same, but a Heartless could only be created if the person is consumed by Darkness.

"Somehow, I knew you were to stubborn to die," Tenebrae smirked, "But, it is genuinely good to see you again. Cetus too."

"You remember her?" Keval put Tenebrae in a headlock. "Then you know she is one of us. Why doesn't she remember though?"

Tenebrae thought of Shaylex. 'Memory loss. But what could be the cause?'

Tenebrae got out of the hold and shook his hair back to place. "Look, amnesia can be caused by trauma. Maybe she experienced something that locked her memory. Best to do is let her get it back naturally." He pulled the Forget-me-not from his ear.

"Why did you buy the flower?" Keval asked, looking at the flower. "Last I knew, you didn't like anyone, just your books. Is there someone I don't know?"

Tenebrae had a feeling Keval was trying to tease him. He just sighed and looked at the flower. "As Cetus corrected me, these flowers represent true love and memories. I bought these as a means of showing you I remember that time. No one should recognize me, even if they were from the Unions. But, if it makes you feel better, I met someone in the same predicament as Cetus."

"Really? Who?" Keval hadn't changed. Always having that drive to help others.

"Don't worry. They are fine." Tenebrae was positive that he should not mention Shaylex to him. "They have adapted to their life. No need for concern."

"Alright, if you say so," Keval grinned. "What about you?" Tenebrae raised an eyebrow at the question. Keval chuckled, continuing, "You said you remember, what are you planning on doing? You still have your Keyblade."

"I do, and I don't have many plans." Tenebrae leaned on a wall. "Right now, I'm wandering and gathering information. I've completed part of my research, by gaining the Key you saw. But as of this moment, I have no plans."

Keval held out his hand. "I know this is late in doing, or I may have asked, and you said no, but how about joining my Party? We're called the Light Protectors."

'Light Protectors? Does that mean he knows about the Princesses of Heart too?' Tenebrae raised an eyebrow. "You never had a chance to ask. We always started to argue when see were together. But why not, I have nothing better to do."

Tenebrae shook Keval's hand. The two headed back to Cetus's shop. She and Keval had a brief conversation, before Keval led Tenebrae away. The two walked into an apartment complex. Keval led Tenebrae up a few levels to a door.

Keval knocked three times, before opening the door. "Welcome to the Light Protectors."

Inside the apartment, were four other individuals. All of them seemed to be close to Tenebrae's age, with two looking much younger than everyone else. Tenebrae didn't recognize any of them, meaning they weren't from Unicornus.

"Alright Protectors!" Keval had a look that a proud father would have, while showing off his kids. "We have a new ally joining us. This is Tenebrae. He used to be in Unicornus with me. Treat him well and introduce yourself."

One of the older males walked up. He was a little taller than Tenebrae. He had short dark hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a brown sports jacket over a red shirt. He also wore black pants with a white line on the side. A gray, yellow and white checkered scarf completed his outfit. "I'm Solas. I was part of Ursus."

The other older male went next. He was taller that Tenebrae by a good few inches. His hair was strawberry blonde with a beard to match. He wore a dark colored vest over a muscle shirt. His jeans and boots added to his image. His hands were covered by fingerless gloves. "I'm Rylan. I'm from Vulpeus."

The only girl of the group was hiding near the younger boy. She had hair that was half back and half white, in twin tails. Her dark eyes looked at Tenebrae with fear and interest. She wore a sweater that was black with white sleeves. It seemed to be a few sizes larger than her. She was cute, in the sense of a puppy being cute. "I'm Mojie, of Leopardus."

The boy protecting Mojie smirked. His red hair was short in the back and draped over a golden mask. He wore a blue shirt and jeans. The was a band wrapped around his left bicep. "The name is Ray. I was in Vulpeus."

"Nice to meet you all," Tenbrae said, nodding at the small group. He did remember Keval mentioning a Party he had back in the Unions. Tenebrae only remembered Cetus being part of it. He didn't really bother to meet the others. "By the way, Keval, this is not me joining whatever this is."

"What do you mean?" Keval seemed shocked and confused. "We all need to work together."

"I just said I had nothing better to do. I still have no intention of staying as a part of a group. I don't mind working alongside you, but I do so as an individual Wielder."

"Come on dude. We find each other after all this time and you still want to isolate yourself?" Keval seemed hurt. "I thought we were friends."

Tenebrae walked to a wall and leaned against it. "Comrades at best. And, unfortunately, I'd rather not work in a group with people I don't know."

"Then maybe you should get to know us," Rylan suggested. "We all came from Daybreak Town and survived the War. We need to stick together."

"I'm just saying, I'm still a solo Wielder,'" Tenebrae sighed. "I'll do missions with you lot. But I am not a member of your group."

"What's wrong?" Ray spoke up with a smirk, "Too weak to wanna be part of our group? I know, we're pretty awesome."

"Oh, for the love of…" Tenebrae pinched the bridge of his nose. 'Oh great, another Keval.' "Strength is not the concern. I just don't do well with groups."

"But Parties help with stronger Heartless," Mojie said, softly. "How did you fight those on your own?"

"I didn't," Tenebrae said. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'm fine on my own."

"I'm surprised you lasted so long on your own," Solas chimed. "Parties made a lot of Union missions easier. And even now, we all work together."

"And that is all well and good for you lot." Tenebrae growled, as he pushed off the wall. He headed to the door. "I'll come back only for missions. Otherwise, I'll be in town."

Tenebrae left the complex. He remembered now, why he didn't care for groups. He couldn't understand how so many different personalities could work together. Each one of the Protectors gave him a headache. His bloodlust was still there, which added to his annoyance.

Tenebrae looked for a source of Darkness. He found some in a tunnel close by. He entered the tunnels and was surprised by the structure. He didn't have much time to admire it, before some Heartless appeared. He made quick work of them. When he was finished, he explored the structure a little more. There seemed to be many paths and gates.

'This place is a maze,' Tenebrae thought as he headed back to the shopping district. 'I really should figure out what world I'm in.' He headed back to Cetus's shop and saw her closing for the day.

She seemed to notice him and smiled. "Hello there. Sorry I'm closing shop for the day. Oh, aren't you the one who bought the Forget-me-not earlier?"

"I am. My name is Tenebrae," he said with a smirk.

"I'm Cetus, guess I should have introduced myself earlier."

"It's okay. I didn't either. I was wondering though; can you tell me where we are. I'm new to the area."

"You're fine. We're in Twilight Town. It's a nice quiet little place."

"Yes, it does seem peaceful," Tenebrae though back to the tunnels and Heartless. "Well do you know a place where one can spend the night?"

"There should be a hotel near the Sunset Terrance," Cetus put a finger to her chin to think. "Most places here are apartments to rent. To my knowledge, most people here are locals."

"Good to know. Thank you, Cetus." Tenebrae headed back to the hill he came from earlier.

"You're welcome." Cetus called to him. "And please come again!"

Tenebrae ascended the hill and followed the path back to the clock tower. He didn't know the town well enough, and he didn't want to pay for a hotel now. He looked around and made sure no one was around, before he summoned a portal. He took it to the top of the tower. He sat on the edge and watched the sunset. It felt weird, wanting to fall asleep in a place as bright as this. He got off the edge and leaned against it, before falling asleep. -

* * *

And finally more people to meet and thank. So the Light Protectors introduced are all owned by different members of our little group. They had characters created long before I started writing this story. And all of these wonderful people are on Tiktok as part of the tag.

So I want to thank the individuals for letting me use their characters:

Kale Thunderhorse Lampkin = Keval

Pretty_Dandelion = Cetus

Tallcoffee.cos = Solas

Thatwheelchairguy = Rylan

Mojie_Cosplay = Mojie

Aya_43517 = Ray

See you in the next chapter.


	11. Training and Insight

So this was a fun chapter to write.  
These next few chapters will not only give an idea about the other Light Protectors, but also mark a change for Tenebrae himself. So lets start.

* * *

Tenebrae awoke feeling refreshed. He could tell got a decent amount of sleep. Though his location would probably need to be changed for next time. Still, it was better than having to be on constant watch, for anything trying to eat his face.

Tenebrae saw some stairs off to the side and descended the clock tower. The stairs led into a train station. He was people giving him odd looks.

'Guess it makes sense,' he thought. 'I don't think anyone should have been up there overnight. Doesn't matter, I should find food and then convene with Keval.'

His stomach started growl. Though he did eat, it wasn't for substance before. Now, it felt like he was about to pass out from starvation. 'Guess the Realm of Darkness muted my desire for food. It must have been because it gave me a constant supply of Darkness.'

Tenebrae headed to the shopping area. He was bombarded with different scents. The smells ranged from flowers to… FOOD!

Tenebrae darted to a nearby stall and practically drooled. He forgotten how amazing some food smelled. And with the stall owner was preparing it, the scent made his stomach growl even louder.

"Sounds like you haven't eaten in days, sonny," the owner laughed. "Gotta keep up your strength, if you want to keep up in the Struggle Tournament this summer."

"Struggle Tournament?" He didn't recognize the name. He was too focused on the smell to care about much else. He wanted to get some food.

The owner laughed and handed him some meat on a stick and a small loaf of bread. "Eat up first. Then we talk." Tenebrae nodded and went to pull out his pouch. The owner stopped him, "No, No. This is on the house. No need to starve yourself, I can already see you may need the Munny for later."

Tenebrae looked at his sleeve and blushed. He hadn't realized how dirty his clothes were. The Realm of Darkness really helped him more than he knew. He took the food and nodded a thanks. He went to a secluded area and ate.

'Now that I think about it, my clothes reconstruct after I get hit. They never did smell or got dirty. It's a wonder what the Darkness can do.'

Tenebrae ate happily as he thought that. It was oddly satisfying, eating again. But now that meant he needed to make sure to earn enough to eat, and he needed to find a place to stay.

As soon as he finished eating, Tenebrae headed back to the apartment complex. He walked by Cetus's shop as she was setting up for the day. He did feel a bit worried, but she seemed to be leading a good life. He made it to the apartment Keval showed him and knocked three times.

It was Keval who opened the door. "Morning bud! Good to see you."

"Sure. Good," Tenebrae sighed. "Look, I'm not going to join your group, but I don't mind going on pair operations with them. It will help me to gather information."

"Uh-huh. Well you may want to clean up first, dude," Keval was scratching his face nervously. "You kind of smell, and it looks like you haven't bathed in a while."

There went his good mood. Tenebrae had to suppress his growl. "I planned to. I don't have a place to stay and I haven't exactly been in a place where I can wash up. Let me use your shower, and I'll worry about my clothes later."

"Fair enough." Keval moved aside, so Tenebrae could enter. "We'll get your clothes washed quick. We have a good… method."

Tenebrae noticed Keval shudder. 'Odd. He was never one to be skittish. Must have been my imagination.'

Tenebrae followed Keval to a room near the back. When the pair entered, he could tell it belonged to Keval. There were motivational and training posters around. He even had some small training equipment.

"Here you go," Keval said as he handed Tenebrae a towel and cleaning rag. "Leave these on the flower when you're done. And if you leave your clothes outside the door, we'll get them cleaned."

Tenebrae took the items and walked into the bathroom. He inspected himself quickly. He WAS dirty, blood-stained and ragged. How had he not noticed before now? Even his hair had a hint of dirt.

Tenebrae removed his clothes and tossed them out the door. He placed his goggles on the sink as he started the shower. 'And another thing I need Munny for is clothes. It most likely seems like I won't be able to rely on the Darkness for everything.'

Tenebrae hopped in the shower. He took his time washing up. So much dirt and grime came off his body. It must have accumulated from all the time he spent in the Realm of Darkness. Tenebrae actually couldn't recall the last time he had a proper shower. And the amount of dirt come from him showed just that.

Tenebrae finished up and dried himself off. He wrapped a towel around his waist. He hadn't felt this clean in a long time. 'Guess I really forgot such simple things.'

Tenebrae exited the bathroom and waited at the door. He had no clothes and he doubted any of Keval's would fit him. He just had to wait until his were ready. Tenebrae wasn't sure when that would be.

Luckily, he didn't have to wait long. Keval came back in with his clothes. The blonde Wielder had a smile on his face as he handed Tenebrae his clothes.

"Here you go!" Keval said happily, "Washed and ready to go."

"Huh?" Tenebrae tilted his head. He had been in the shower for, at best, 15 minutes. There was no way his clothes could have been washed and cleaned in that time. "But how?"

"We have our ways." Keval rubbed a finger under his nose.

'Magic, of course.' Tenebrae took his clothes and went back into the bathroom. He put them on as he thought. 'If they are with Keval, they haveto be Wielders. Which means they have access to magic.'

Tenebrae left the bathroom after resting his goggles on his neck. Keval wasn't in the room when he came out, and he could hear talking on the other side of the door. Tenebrae left Keval's room and saw the same group from yesterday.

Keval was the first to notice him. "Yo bro! Come on and eat. Mojie makes some great scrambled eggs."

Mojie, the only girl, used her hair to cover her face. "They aren't anything special. Just a basic recipe."

Rylan spoke up, "They are pretty good, don't doubt yourself."

"I already ate," Tenebrae said, walking towards the door. "I'm only here to meet up for a mission. And not a group one. I just need some training."

"Ha! So, I was right about ya!" Ray laughed. "You really do need us. Why not just stay?"

"Because I have other things to do," Tenebrae sighed, keeping his emotions balanced. "I have a teammate, and if she comes by, I won't be helping you lot." He leaned back on the doorframe.

"Well you said you need training," Solas spoke up. "Why not go to the Coliseum?"

'The place with those Games?' Tenebrae turned to look at the brunette Wielder, "And why should I go there?"

Keval shot up. "No, it's perfect. We should both go! This way we can see how well the both of us have improved."

Tenebrae sighed but looked at Keval. "Why not. I can use the training."

"Cool!" Keval ate the rest of his food quickly, before heading to the door. "You ready Tenny?"

"Call me that again and I'll destroy you." Tenbrae growled.

Keval stepped out of the apartment. He opened a portal and stepped through. Tenebrae followed behind.

Stepping out of the portal, Tenebrae was surprised by the architecture. The white pillars, the two golden statues, and the golden sands. It had been a while since Tenebrae felt the thrill of wanting to experiment. He noticed a few boards behind the pair, showing a scoring system. At the top of each board, the name 'Sora' appeared.

'Sora? Wasn't that one of the people that fought Maleficent?' Tenebrae thought, 'And Shaylex mentioned that name.'

"This way," Keval said, heading to a green door between the two statues.

Tenebrae followed Keval closely. The two entered a small vestibule. 4 trophies could be seen on two separate ledges. An opening, leading to some cheering, was across the way.

Tenebrae's eyes widened as he saw a small…man? Goat? Thing!? Tenebrae blinked in surprise as the small person(?) was cleaning a plaque.

"Yo! Phil! How's it going?" Keval was waving and grinning like a fool.

Phil, if that was what he was called, flinched. He slowly turned toward the pair and smiled. It looked like he was forcing it.

"Well, well, if it isn't my third biggest headache.: Phil said cheerfully. "What brings you by this time?"

"Me and my buddy here are hoping to train wit you." Keval said.

Phil sighed. "I already told you, I'm not taking new trainees. And as I told ya, you got a good heart. But aren't using it right. And what's the matter with him?" Phil pointed to Tenebrae.

Tenebrae flinched. He didn't realize he was staring. Phil was a unique creature. He was short and stout. He had the legs of a goat, and horns to match. But his head stomach and arms were human and hairy. Tenebrae had been lost for words.

"What you never seen a satyr before?" Phil asked.

Tenebrae coughed to regain his composure. Phil's appearance had caused his mind to start working on theories. He was an anomaly. But that may have been because of the World itself.

"I actually haven't," Tenebrae tried to sound calm, but his mind was racing. "I'm new to the area. Keval and I met up again by chance, we used to work together. I wanted to see how well he improved."

"Well that I can do," Phil said with a smile. "I can set up the Arena for a spar or a trial."

"Let's do a trial first," Keval said, "This way we can make it interesting."

"You got it kid!" Phil walked through the door wa, out of sight.

"Interesting, how?" Tenebrae said when Phil left. The Seeker crossed his arms as he looked at Keval.

"Don't you think we should have a wager?" Keval smirked. "It'll make the training more intense."

"Or we can just train, with no reason other than to get stronger," Tenebrae said. "Not everything is a competition. That's what caused the War in the first place."

"Geez, when did you become so gloomy." Keval still had a smile. "Fine, how about when we spar together, loser buys lunch?"

"I'll let you know after the trial," Tenebrae said, noticing Phil walk up. "What exactly is the trial?"

"The rules are simple," Phil said, starting to pace, "We have barrels set up all over the arena. The two of you will have two minutes to destroy as many as you can. Aftertime is up, we'll count up your score. Use any means you can to break them quick."

'Easy enough,' Tenebrae thought, 'How hard can this be?'

The two Wielders walked through the doorway. On the other side, was a large stage wit h four pillars posted at the corners. As Phil said, there were barrels spread around the surface. But there didn't seem to be alot.

"We could start the wager now." Keval grinned, "What do you say?"

"I say you are acting like a trainee," Tenebrae said as he walked onto the stage. "But I'll humor you, loser buys lunch."

Keval cheered as he ran onto the stage. The pair stood back to back in the center. Both summoned their Keyblades and prepared.

"All right guys," Phil came out with a flag. He raised it in the air. "3… 2… 1… GO!"

A whistle sounded as Tenebrae dashed forward. He homed in on a close barrel and swung at it. He was able to knock it away into another one, breaking them both.

Tenebrae was a bit surprised when more barrels appeared. 'That's interesting,' He thought as he broke a few more. 'And this method is time consuming.'

Tenebrae heard a crash of lightning. He turned to see Keval riding a stream of lightning. Keval was using it to ram into the barrels and causing a chain reaction.

'I forgot how much natural talent he had.' Tenebrae thought. 'And now I feel stupid for not using magic.'

Tenebrae focused his element. Mines appeared on the ground in specific locations. He ran to a barrel and hit it with a flame coated Keyblade. The barrel went flying into one of the mines, which detonated. The blast sent the barrel flying through another, then into another mine. This caused a chain reaction of 4 more times before the first barrel broke.

'That was fun, but now is time to end this.'

Tenebrae raised his Keyblade and summoned a purple fireball. "Dark Firaga Burst!" Smaller balls of fire shot out of it and covered the arena. They destroyed many barrels, as a whistle sounded.

Tenebrae dismissed the spell. He noticed how much mana it consumed. He also felt how draining using the Darkness became.

"You both did well," Phil said walking onto the stage. "But Keval was the one who broke more barrels. Not going to lie, new guy, the last trick almost helped. But Keval has done this a couple of times and knows some tricks."

"I figured," Tenebrae sighed. It was weird, he had fun. He always thought training had to be to achieve a goal. But the training just now proved that wasn't always the case. "Guess my solo training was a bit stagnant."

"You do seem to be more like this young woman I knew." Phil said. "She was a magic user like you. But she had the grace of a trained swordswoman. Keep that in mind, magic only gets you so far. You need the skill to back it up."

"Noticed," Tenebrae smiled. "Well I'm up to go again. What do you say, Keval?"

"You're on, Tenny!" Keval said with a smirk.

'And there went my mercy.' -

15 minutes later, Tenebrae was leaning on a wall gasping for air. '5 losses!? HOW!?'

Keval kept winning. No matter what strategy he tried, he always fell short. Keval's natural talent always helped him pull ahead.

"You sure you want to keep doing this?" Keval had barely broken a sweat. At best, he was glistening. "You look like you're about to pass out."

"Fine, whatever," Tenebrae slumped against the wall and sat. He breathed deeply to regain his energy. He hadn't pushed himself so hard before. It was actually a pleasant feeling.

"I'll admit," Keval came by with some water for him, "You've gotten stronger, no doubt. But I'm worried about the Darkness you keep using."

"It's fine," Tenebrae replied, accepting the drink. "It's a natural thing. I just found a way to channel and command mine. That is what my research was for."

Keval just seemed worried at the statement. "Uh-huh? Well, I'm starved. What say I cash in on your loss?"

Tenebrae stood up. "Normally I'd say go die. But I did agree to the wager. Let's go before I change my mind."

The pair left the arena. They left through a giant gate that separated the Coliseum from a town. Tenebrae had no idea that such a thing existed in this world. Keval lead the way into town.

"I know this awesome stand that sells these things called gyros," Keval said as they walked, "They are like a sandwich, but man are they tasty."

Tenebrae truly missed Keval's positivity. Being alone for so long, he realized now how jealous he was. Keval was everything he wasn't. Strong, caring of his friends, an overall good person. Tenebrae never wanted to admit, but he wanted to be just like his Union mate.

The two made it to a stall. Keval ordered the food, and Tenebrae paid. When the gyros were ready, they both dug in. The flavor was explosive. Savory, meaty, with the right spices. Tenebrae was so lost in the flavors; he didn't realize he ate it all.

Keval laughed, "You act like you haven't eaten in years, man."

Tenebrae rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. While Keval may have been joking, the statement was fairly true. Tenebrae didn't want to give Keval the satisfaction.

Keval finished his gyro soon after. "Ah! That hit the spot. Ready to call it a day?"

"I don't see why no…" Tenebrae felt a surge of Darkness. He ran to it quickly and was greeted by a swarm of Heartless.

Keval was right behind him. "Guess we can do a bit more training." He laughed.

"This is serious!" Tenebrae barked.

Both Wielders summoned their Keyblades. They charged into the oncoming swarm. Fire and lightning destroyed the Heartless left and right. When larger Heartless appeared, Tenebrae got an idea.

"Keval!" He called out. He summoned a large fireball and lobbed it towards Keval. "Use your lightning and aim for them!"

Keval nodded and sent a bolt of lightning through the fire. The two spells mixed, before impacting one of the larger Heartless. The resulting explosion wiped out the rest.

"Guess you can only see some skill in the heat of battle, huh Tenny?" Keval said, stretching. "He looked at Tenebrae, confused. "Tenny?"

Tenebrae's mind was racing. He had remembered feeling the same barrier, like the one in Traverse town. A barrier that protected the World's Heart. But was Kingdom Hearts not closed? Those Heartless were above average. Had all those people failed? What of Shaylex?

"TENEBRAE!"

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Keval. "I'm sorry. My mind was going nuts. Too much new information hurts sometimes."

"I guess now would be a good time head back then." Keval opened a portal and motioned for Tenebrae to follow.

The pair appeared in the tunnel next to the train station. Keval left first and motioned for Tenebrae to follow. The pair walked down the hill to the shopping district. They had passed by many who waved at Keval. Tenebrae noticed the genuine smiles they had.

'There are even some women looking at him, like THAT,' Tenebrae thought. 'He hasn't lost that natural charisma. But again, if he is alive, then what does that make Heloa?'

The pair made it back to the complex. When they entered the apartment, it looked like no one was back yet. Keval headed to the kitchenette and grabbed a drink. He tossed one to Tenebrae, who caught and drank it.

"Why did you want to be my friend?" Tenebrae asked, leaning on the doorframe.

"Huh?" Keval seemed shocked. It WAS a random question. But Tenebrae wanted to know.

"Of all the Wielders, in each of the Unions, why did you seek me out? Why, for so long, did you try and be friend me?"

Keval looked a little bashful and scratched his chin. "Well to be honest, it was mostly because we were both in the same Union. But after we trained and did missions, it was for another reason. It was because you are strong. You have a lot of potential that you wasted by being in the library. I had hoped the being with the Light Protectors would help you to grow."

Tenebrae was shocked. Of all the people he knew, Tenebrae always thought Keval saw him as weak. 'And how could I think otherwise. His talent was natural. I studied but still couldn't keep up.'

"I see," Tenebrae tried to look composed and calm. "I had no idea you thought that. Well I should go. Today was… fun." Tenebrae turned and opened the door.

Keval called out to him. "You know, you are welcome to stay. It'd be cool to have you with us."

Turned away from Keval, Tenebrae put a hand to his chest. Tenebrae could feel his Light within him, and sighed. "At the moment, I'm waiting on a response from my partner. And I prefer to stay alone. Just… just let me keep our current arrangement."

"Alright dude." Keval said. Tenebrae could hear the heartbreak.

Tenebrae left the complex and went to the shopping district. It was late in the afternoon, so plenty of people were out and about. He saw Cetus selling her flowers to a smiling couple. The scene was both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

His thoughts went Laci, and that figure he remembered during his travels. He let his mind wander as he walked to an alley. 'Was that Laci in the Realm of Darkness? That girl looked just like her. But she didn't have the same aura as before. And if Keval survived, then who's to say she didn't.'

Tenebrae leaned against the wall and sat. After the events of today, he just wanted to relax. He couldn't recall a time he had genuine fun in competing. Healthy competition did seem to help him improve.

'Guess I'll keep an open mind with that next time,' he thought as he yawned. 'Maybe it can make up for lost time.' Tenebrae drifted off to sleep. It looks like he used more mana than he thought. -

* * *

And here is the chapter. Thanks again Kale Thunderhorse Lampkin, for letting me use Keval. And yes there is a connection between Keval and Heloa. If you guys can figure it out, good job but don't spoil it yet.  
I also needed a way to ease Tenebrae back into the Realm of Light and show his current strength against a sentient opponent. So let's have fun with the next one too. BYE!


	12. Time and Architecture

Her ewe go with the next chapter. We continue on with introducing more of the Light Protectors. Let's see who our lucky ally is...

* * *

Tenebrae woke up and stretched. His stomach growled as he stood up. His body was sore, and he knew it was because of his location.

'I really need to find a place to stay.' Tenebrae thought as he walked into the Shopping District. He saw the shops starting to open for the day. 'I also should find a way to check in with Shaylex. I may have been out of the Realm of Darkness a short time. But I'm sure it was a few days here before I left. And I don't think it's easy to get back to that world.'

Tenebrae walked to the food stall and order a quick breakfast. It was nothing more than fruit and bread. His body thanked him, but it didn't feel like enough. 'I'll be fine. I've survived for a long time already.'

Tenebrae walked to the Light Protectors' apartment. He knocked on the door and waited. He heard muffled conversation right before Mojie opened the door.

"Oh, you're here," She said softly, "We were worried when Keval was here alone. But he said not to worry." She opened the door wide for him to enter.

Keval and Rylan were having a bit of heated conversation, it seemed. Tenebrae wasn't sure what about. But it couldn't have been good.

"It's still too early, Ry," Keval said. "Even if there is a group there, it doesn't mean we should go. It's just too dangerous."

"But Hollow Bastion is still a World," Rylan said. "And it has a Keyhole we can seal. Isn't it our job to protect the Light? Checking it could help out."

"That ain't the problem," Keval said. "The problem is all the Heartless that spawned there."

'Hollow Bastion?' Tenebrae thought, 'That was the world Shaylex's friend Sora was. And those people from Traverse Town mentioned it too.'

Tenebrae walked up to the two Wielders. "Mind if I but in? I'm interested in Hollow Bastion as well. I heard from a few sources about it and want to check it out."

"Hey this works out then," Rylan pulled out a sucker and started eating it. "If it's too much for one, we send two. And we can see what's up with the world."

Keval crossed his arms and sighed. "You really like that old place, huh Rylan. But seriously, you guys better be careful."

"You know me," Rylan said heading to the door. "What do you say Tenebrae, up for some exploration?"

Tenebrae nodded and followed Rylan. Rylan summoned his Keyblade. It was futuristic in design. It was comprised of two circle discs, one acting as the guard and the other surrounded by pixels that made the teeth. The blade looked like a black stretched bike of some kind. The Keychain was a blue hollowed out frisbee-looking item.

Rylan opened a portal and the pair walked through. When they exited, it was to an interesting sight. Around them was a rising waterfall, as weird as it was. Many broken platforms lead to what looked to be a castle. Tenebrae recognized the giant Heartless symbol on it. The castle seemed to have a steampunk-esque design.

"So, what's the mission?" Tenebrae needed to distract himself. He wanted nothing more than to research everything around him.

"Wanted to see if the rumor was true," Rylan said, pointing his Keyblade to the castle. "Word is, there was an evil fairy trying to flood the Worlds with Darkness. She was using a special Keyhole, apparently."

"I see." 'How would someone who isn't a Wielder know that? And what good would come about flooding the Realm of Light? So long as the Princesses of Heart are around, that can't happen.'

"Let's go do some recon." Rylan started jumping onto some floating platforms.

Tenebrae followed. Both Wielders jumped from platform to platform, until they reached a staircase. When they stepped to the edge at the top of it, a floating cage appeared. The pair was transported into it and then were taken towards the castle.

"That was weird," Rylan said. "I wonder how they did that?"

'You're not the only one.' Tenebrae thought.

The pair was deposited on a platform of the castle. They were very high up, almost above the clouds. The architecture of the castle seemed to be gothic mixed with a bit of steampunk.

"We gotta stay sharp," Rylan said. "I can cover the rear, if you take point."

"You're the one that wanted to come here," Tenebrae summoned Kingdom Key D. "I'm surprised you don't want to lead."

"Not really my thing. I'm worried about the World. When it comes to combat, I prefer to support my friends." Rylan shrugged.

"Well we aren't friends." Tenebrae began walking towards a pair of double doors. "But it's fine by me. I need to fight a lot of Heartless anyway. Let's go."

They barley made it to the door before Heatless appeared. The breed looked stronger than any Tenebrae fought in this Realm. Tenebrae rushed the swarm as Rylan stayed back.

Tenebrae ran into the swarm and struck. When he noticed some stop moving, he took advantage of it. It took him a bit to realize more was involved. No matter the hits, they didn't disappear. After a few seconds, all the hits accumulated and the Heartless were gone.

Tenebrae also felt a boost to his abilities. He moved faster than he had planned and hit harder than he knew. But he did feel magic surround his body. He thought nothing of it as he cut down the last Heartless outside.

Tenebrae shouldered Kingdom Key D as he looked at Rylan. The other Wielder had a smirk on his face. Tenebrae figured he learned something he wasn't supposed to.

"Is that what you meant by support?" Tenebrae asked. "You could have still fought, and we could have been equals."

"Like I said," Rylan had a new sucker in his mouth. "The frontlines aren't my thing. But I have a good use over time magic, guess to make up over my lack of an affinity."

"It wasn't just time magic was it?" Tenebrae turned to the large door and opened it. "Rylan followed behind him. "You used enhancement magic as well, but not on yourself. You're quite skilled, at hiding your true ability. But I guess that's why you are one of Keval's teammates."

The pair made it into an entrance hall. The architecture was similar on the inside. There was a fountain in between two rounded staircases. Multiple pillars could be seen around the room. Statues were under a second level, and a door was at the top of the stairs.

On entry, more Heartless spawned. Again, Tenebrae and Rylan prepared for battle. Tenebrae felt another surge of magic as he rushed ahead. He met the swarm head on and struck them down. A few were tankier and took a few more hits to defeat. Others were more magic inclined and took proper planning to defeat. When they were dispatched, Tenebrae took a breath and looked at Rylan.

"The Heartless here are stronger than I guessed. I should thank you for the help." Tenebrae tilted his head to Rylan. "But why the interest of this World?"

Rylan spun his Keyblade around. "This is Dual Disc. It's from a World called The Grid. It's a world of technology. And the A.I., Tron, is pretty cool."

Tenebrae raised an eyebrow. Inside he was ecstatic. "A world full of technology, huh? Man, how time flies. However, that doesn't answer my question."

Rylan chuckled. "Was hoping I could redirect it. Keval said you like to research. Thought that would pique your interest. For your question, there is a connection to the Grid in this world. I wanted to make sure it was stable."

"I see," Tenebrae put his hand to his chin, "And with the Darkness pouring out, there is a chance shit has hit the fan."

Rylan chuckled again. "In a manner of speaking, yes. I just want to make sure the link is stable. And you wanted to fight Heartless. So, I say it's a win-win."

Tenebrae shook his head and walked away. "I would have helped anyway. You don't need to try and trick me into helping. Let's go."

Rylan popped in another sucker and followed behind. The pair walked up the stairs and noticed two doors. Tenebrae felt some presences behind the one to their left. They felt familiar.

"Guess we aren't alone," Tenebrae said. "There seem to be others here. Let's go in." Tenebrae pulled on his hood and goggles.

"Why hide?" Rylan looked confused. "It doesn't make much sense to hide your features. Is there a reason?"

"It's because I don't trust people." Tenebrae walked through the door and was met with a bookshelf. "And until I know what a person is like, I hide. If I feel like I can trust them, I'll remove the cover."

"I feel like there is more to it than that," Rylan said, following him. "But I guess you have your reasons."

'It's because I'm still adjusting to so much Light,' Tenebrae thought as he walked.

The bookshelves would have made a maze. But it seemed that someone solved a puzzle and made a path into a library. There was a staircase ascending to another floor. A table and lamp were under it.

Tenebrae noticed two people reading from the bookshelf. Both were people he recognized from Traverse Town. The man with brown hair and the woman with a braid. It was the woman who saw them first.

Tenebrae recognized her voice when she spoke. It was the soothing one from his scouting mission with Shaylex. "Oh, I'm surprised anyone else is here."

The man looked over. He had a look of speculation. And he seemed to tense.

"Hey, there," Rylan said, standing beside Tenebrae. "We are travelers. Didn't mean to intrude."

"What brings you to Hollow Bastion?" The man asked. "And who are you?"

"My name is Rylan. My friend and I are researchers."

"I'm Tenebrae," was all he said. He looked around to sense any other presences. Two more presences were there, one of which was… PURE!?

"Oh, like Master Ansem." The woman seemed pleased. "My name is Aerith. Nice to meet you."

"Leon," the man said. He was looking at Tenebrae with suspicion.

Rylan smiled. "Nice to meet ya. And we are here to study Hollow Bastion. We won't be in the way."

"Little unusual to come here willingly." Leon said crossing his arms. "You can get plenty of research done elsewhere."

"There seems to be more knowledge here then anywhere else." Tenebrae spoke. This man was getting on his nerve. "We are simply here to do some research, and we will leave soon after."

"I don't see a problem," Aerith said. "You're more than welcome. Master Ansem would have been glad to share his research, right Leon?"

Leon huffed and looked away.

"He gets like that," Aerith giggled. She looked up to a balcony and called out. "Yuffie, Belle, we have visitors hoping to do some research."

Tenebrae heard voices call back. One sounded like the young voice from Traverse Town. The other was unfamiliar.

He looked to Rylan. "Want to stay down here while I check upstairs? I'll signal when I'm done."

Rylan pulled out and ate another sucker. "I can do that." He walked back around the corner they came from, out of sight.

Tenebrae ascended the stairs to the next floor. It had less shelves and was easier to navigate. He caught sight of the ravenette he saw in Traverse Town with Leon and Aerith. He also saw a flash of gold behind a bookshelf.

"Heya, I'm Yuffie," the ravenette said. "I ain't much of a researcher. But if you need help, let me know."

"Will do." Tenebrae walked past Yuffie. She didn't have the pure light. But it was close.

Tenebrae rounded the bookshelf and was stunned. Reading a book off the shelf, was a young woman. She was dressed in a golden ball gown, with gold gloves to match. Her hazel eyes were searching for answers in the book she had. Her long brown hair was done nicely and out of her face. And there was an aura a purity about her.

'A Heart devoid of Darkness,' Tenebrae thought, 'Shaylex mentioned Maleficent wanting them. And I can see why. This Light… This LIGHT!'

Without realizing, Tenebrae had summoned his Keyblade and was walking to Belle. Her back was to him and she was too engrossed in her book. Tenebrae raised his weapon above his head.

'All I have to do is get rid of it,' he thought, 'Get rid of the Light.'

He snapped back to reality when he felt a hand grab his wrist. Tenebrae saw Rylan next to him, a smile was on his face.

"I don't see any Heartless around buddy," the other Wielder said, "So, we don't need to be on guard."

Tenebrae dismissed Kingdom Key D, before pulling his arm free. He glared at Rylan before he walked away. He walked to a door that led to more of those lifts, like the one that took them to the entrance. Rylan was close behind.

The pair was silent as they progressed. They went through the lifts, outside the castle and through a maze. They took out any Heartless they encountered. More seeming to appear as they delved deeper inside.

Inside a hall, Rylan finally spoke up. "Is it safe to ask why?"

Tenebrae looked back. "Why what?"

"Why were you ready to strike down that girl, Belle?"

Belle? That was one of the girls that Shaylex had mentioned. That confirmed she was a Princess of Heart then.

"Was that her name?" Tenebrae tried to sound uninterested. "And I wasn't going to strike her. I thought I felt a Heartless and was readying myself."

"Her power was preventing them from getting to that place," Rylan said. Tenebrae had a feeling he had saw through his lie. "She has a heart of Pure Light."

"Good for her." Tenebrae walked ahead.

The pair entered a chamber. Along some pillared walls were coffin looking devices. Three lined each wall, for a total of six. There was a raised platform ahead, with a rounded staircase on each side. The two of them ascended and met with a curious sight.

Many pipes and wires were coming from the walls. A giant Heartless Emblem could be seen where they all connected. The emblem seemed to be pulsing with Darkness, but it was sealed. Tenebrae looked around and noticed another coffin on a ledge above. There also were a few terminals close by.

Rylan walked to one of the terminals and started typing. "Looks like someone was trying to make a Keyhole, like we thought. They succeeded. Explains why the Darkness is strong. But the Keyhole is sealed. So, I'm a little surprised. But my curiosity is sated. The link to The Grid is there, weak but there. I'll figure out how to talk to Tron another time."

"Fine by me," Tenebrae said. "I only came to accompany you. And I got some interesting information for coming here."

"Guess we can head back then," Rylan said. "We should go back to where we came via portal. Something tells me we shouldn't do it here."

"Agreed." Tenebrae followed Rylan out.

The pair made a stop at the library to say goodbye. They then navigated back out and to the rising waterfalls.

Rylan opened a portal and the two left the World. They appeared back in the complex, where Tenebrae took off his hood and goggles. Rylan opened the door and walked inside, with Tenebrae behind him.

Keval and Solas were playing a game. Ray was passed out on another couch. Mojie was the only one unaccounted for.

"Hey! Welcome back! Gotcha!" Keval cheered as he won the game. "Who's the man!"

"Lucky strike," Solas said with a smile.

"Well, we survived," Rylan said, laughing at the antics. "And I found what I needed. I will admit, Tenebrae can hold his own. And it seems someone took care of the major threat."

"Really?" Keval looked only slightly surprised. "Guess we'll need to invite them to join us."

"And what of your worry?" Tenbrae asked. "Of the large Keyhole there?"

Keval looked a bit bashful. "Honestly, we knew Hollow Bastion was being overrun with Darkness, because of it."

"I see," Tenebrae looked away as he thought about it.

"You're welcome to stay for dinner," Rylan offered. "I think it's Solas' turn."

"Really!?" Solas jumped off the couch and ran to the kitchenette. Rylan and Keval laughed at the antics.

"I'll pass," Tenebrae said. "I've got somewhere I need to be." He left before they could say anything.

Tenebrae saw Mojie walk by with groceries. She squeaked when she saw him and ran inside. Tenebrae rolled his eyes and left the complex.

Tenebrae realized; he had no place to meet up with Shaylex. He thought about finding temporary lodging but didn't want to spend the Munny. It didn't help that they hadn't picked a meet up spot before she was called away.

'What does it matter to me? She must put them first. I'm just an accessory.'

Tenebrae went to the Shopping District and ordered some food. He hopped on top of a roof and ate there. After he finished, he situated himself to sleep. He looked in the sky and saw a star shine, followed by many more. It looked like a meteor shower, but all the stars were being put back in the sky.

'Looks like Light is being restored,' Tenebrae thought. He felt a tightness in his chest. 'I wonder who repaired it?' That was his though as he fell asleep. -

* * *

And here is the chapter. Thanks to Thatwheelchairguy, or Xwheelshin on TikTok, for letting me use Rylan. His character was fun to write because of his personality and abilities. I will be including the Protectors in future chapters, so we'll see more of this Time Lord(pun intended) later.  
See you in the next one.


	13. Rage and Pain

SO because of the number of the chapter, I decided to have fun with this chapter. And by fun, I mean progressing my OC's mental state by, less than nice means.  
So expect some heartache as a special guest makes an appearance.

* * *

Tenebrae woke up stiff, again. 'I really need to start sleeping on the ground. Or a bed.' He stretched and jumped off the roof.

It was the hustle and bustle of the town that woke him up. He must have slept for longer than he thought. It looked like a lunch rush was hitting the District. Many people could be seen, and few were startled when he landed.

Tenebrae walked around, but eventually bought some food. He did head over to Cetus' shop to check on her. Cetus stood outside, watering some of the flowers.

'She isn't my friend,' Tenebrae thought, 'And even with her infliction, I have no reason to talk with her. She seemed content with her life. No need to drag her back to this one.'

Tenebrae walked to the Light Protector's apartment. When he got to it, he knocked on the door. Keval was the one who answered. He smiled as he let Tenebrae enter. Tenebrae noticed only Solas and Rylan were there. The latter was working on another sucker.

"Yo bro, how ya feeling?" Keval asked as he sat on a couch.

Tenebrae leaned against the door frame. "Fine. I was curious who I was going to be paired with today?"

"Why not just take a rest day to relax?" Rylan asked, "You could use a day off. You seem tense."

"I'm tense because SHUT UP!" Tenebrae growled. "I just prefer to do something. I don't like being idle. Not when there are things to kill."

The three other Wielders looked at each other, worried.

"You sure you don't want a day to relax?" Solas asked. "That's a bit of an extreme mindset, don't you think?"

"I have spent the last few years fighting to survive," Tenebrae said with a sigh. "It's taking a while to adjust. So, I'd rather do what I do best. And that is killing Heartless."

"Sounds like you need a chill day," Keval laughed. "Look, why not spend the day with us here? We can have a Bro Day!"

"Pass!" Tenebrae growled. He turned to the open the door. "When you want to fight some Heartless, come find me."

Tenebrae left the apartment without another word. He went to the Shopping District to cool off.

Tenebrae couldn't afford to do nothing. He couldn't focus properly, with everything that was going on. There were too many things happening at one time. And none of it made sense to him. At the moment, he had no means of being able to study any of it.

Tenebrae traveled around the Shopping District. He grabbed a snack from a vender before following the Tram tracks. As he walked, he came to a wall with a hole in it. He shrugged before going through the hole.

The change of scenery was drastic. Tenebrae was now in a thick wood. Trees as far as the eyes can see. There did seem to be a path to in it.

Tenebrae chose to follow the path. As he walked it, he was ambushed by Heartless. He made quick work the pests and continued on. The Heartless here were small fry compared to the ones he fought in Hollow Bastion. They were defeated in a few seconds.

Tenebrae continued down the path and came to a break in the trees. A large clearing gave way to a building. It looked like an abandoned mansion. It had a gate with a giant lock on it.

'Guess someone dislikes their neighbors. Also, looks like no one's been around for years.'

Tenebrae did his best to examine what he could. The pillars out front were old and falling apart. Some were covered in vines. There was a window that caught Tenebrae's attention. It was the fact that the window had white curtains. The same curtains seemed to be moving.

'There is more to this place than it seems. I sense a connection to the Darkness. But where?'

Tenebrae was about to head back, when he felt a surge of Darkness. He summoned his Keyblade in time to protect himself. A large sphere of Darkness impacted his guard and he was blasted back. A large Darkside was in the middle of the clearing.

"Oh good," Tenebrae readied his Keyblade. "I was looking for a stress reliever."

He coated his weapon in flames before charging at the Heartless. He focused on attacking its hands, to try and weaken it. When it struck the ground, he took the opportunity and ran up its arm.

"Fire Surge!" Tenebrae cut across its face with a clean cut. Flames spreading as he landed.

The Darkside reared back and slammed its arm into the ground again. A dark portal appeared as its shoulder stopped it from going farther. It pulled out a large sphere that it lifted up. The sphere ascended into the sky, before many dark spheres descended into the clearing.

Tenebrae put distance between him and the Darkside. It took all he could to focus on the orbs and the Heartless. He dodged many of them before projectiles came at him. Tenebrae swatted those away. A few slipped past his swings and were able to hit him.

Tenebrae was almost out of breath. It was getting harder to focus. All he saw was red as he grinned like an animal. All thoughts were on one thing: Destruction!

Tenebrae crouched low, before using as much mana as he could to propel himself up. At his apex, Tenebrae pour as much of his element into his Keyblade. Kingdom Key D came a live with purple flames. On his descent, Tenebrae put all his strength and momentum into a downward strike. He cut straight down the center of the Darkside, landing underneath it.

Tenebrae stood up, facing away from the Heartless. He held up his free hand and snapped. "Let the flames of Darkness consume you."

Purple flame erupted from the Darkside. It was a satisfying view for him. When the Heartless fell, he was its heart get released and float away.

"It's still weird seeing anything but Lux be released," He said as he dismissed his Keyblade. "And it's going to that artificial Kingdom Hearts."

Tenebrae needed to go back to that World. He had to get closer to that moon and see if it was what he felt. Having gone through Kingdom Hearts, or a version of it, he now had a basis to gauge its power. But he wasn't sure how he would be able to travel to other Realms.

Tenebrae turned to head into the forest. Before he could leave, he felt a familiar, disturbing presence. He sighed as he turned around. To no surprise, THEY were behind him.

Heloa and Hashley were there. What didn't make sense was how they were in the Realm of Light. Both were beings of Darkness; they shouldn't be able to cross Realms. Then again, Heartless were always in the Realm of Light. So that theory was disproved.

"Hello again, old friend," Heloa smirked. "Good to see you away from the Light."

"You are not my friend," Tenebrae growled. He pointed to his chest, "And so long as I'm breathing, there will always be a Light within me. I've proven that time and again."

Heloa laughed. "Yes, you have proven you are resilient and stubborn. But don't forget, Light and Darkness go hand in hand. But Light always fails."

Tenebrae summoned his Keyblade. "Says you. All you know is Darkness. I doubt you even know how it feels to have Light. So, for the last time, LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"And why should we?" Hashley giggled. "You are like us. We should stick together. Just like you didn't before the War."

Heloa wrapped an arm around Hashley's waist, the latter purring like a kitten. "However, I know a way to convince you to help us."

"There is nothing you can say or do to convince me," Tenebrae didn't ease up. What was Heloa planning? "What could you possibly know that would make me help?"

"How about where Laci is currently hiding?"

Tenebrae dropped Kingdom Key D out of shock. The Keyblade dismissed, but Tenebrae didn't even notice because of his shock. There was no way! She was gone! But the others should have been as well, yet the Light Protectors were still around.

"You're lying," Tenebrae started to shake. The shaking grew alongside his anger. "YOU ARE LYING!"

"Am I?" Heloa chuckled. "Why would I lie to you, old friend?"

"You are NOT my friend!" Tenebrae roared.

"Then let me prove it." A portal opened next to Heloa. "If you want to see her, go through here. I'm sure your Light will be strong enough."

Tenebrae looked between Heloa and the portal. There was no way his words were true. Tenebrae came to terms that he was alone. None of the other Wielders should even exist. She should be gone too.

But if that theory was sound, what did that mean for the others? For Keval, Shaylex, and the Light Protectors. Even with all the time that had passed, there were still may survivors from Daybreak Town. Maybe… just maybe…

Tenebrae walked up to the portal. He spared a look to Heloa and Hashley. "If you are wrong, I will destroy you."

Heloa had a confident smile. "I can assure you; she is alive."

Tenebrae ignored it as he walked through the portal. As soon as he got the truth, he would be right back to the Protectors. Whether or not she was alive or not would not dictate his future.

As expected, the portal took him to the Realm of Darkness. He should have expected as much. But he wasn't sure how Laci tied into all of this. How would she even had gotten here?

"And who are you?" A new voice called. It sounded familiar, like a long-lost memory.

Tenebrae turned and saw her. The same hair, the same goggles, but there were a few differences. Her eyes weren't brown, but a golden yellow. Her hair wasn't in their normal pigtails either but flowing down her back freely. She was wearing the same coat as Shaylex.

"A peculiar subject," Laci said. "A being of Darkness. But there is something else. Light? Quite the anomaly." She giggled at some weird joke.

Tenebrae wasn't sure how to feel. He was relieved to see her. He was shocked she was still alive. He was confused about how she addressed him. And terrified when she summoned a fireball and chucked it at him.

He narrowly dodged the magic. The resulting explosion was just as he remembered. He wasn't sure why she attacked him though.

"Wait! Laci!" Tenebrae held up his hands defensively. "I'm not a Heartless. I'm a friend."

"Friend?" Laci tilted her head. "I don't have any. And if you aren't a Heartless, then you should be able to handle a small explosion."

Laci held up another fireball and hurled it at Tenebrae. He summoned his Keyblade and coated it in flames. He swung and slashed at the oncoming fireball. The two magics cancelled each other out.

"Guess you aren't a Heartless," Laci giggled. "And that is a cute toy. I'm surprised to see one of those, after the War and all."

Tenebrae relaxed a bit. "And I guess you remember. But I also guess you don't recognize me? It's probably better that way. Just consider me a shadow of the past."

"Well if you are a shadow, then I just need to get rid of it. Just like I got rid of my old self," Laci smiled cruelly as she prepared more magic. "By the way, my name is Alicx. Laci is gone."

'an anagram with an X added?' Tenebrae thought. 'And a coat like Shaylex and Xigbar. What is going on?'

Tenebrae jumped back and barely avoided the explosion. He kept dodging and jumping as Alicx fired off spell after spell. She seemed to be enjoying all of this more than she should have.

"Laci! Wait! It's me!" Tenebrae hoped this would work. "It's Tenebrae of Unicornus."

The barrage of magic stopped. Alicx looked at him wide-eyed. She seemed to be shocked, which worked for him. The shock soon turned to anger. Alicx summoned a fireball larger than all her previous ones combined.

"You left me to die!" Alicx cried as she threw the fireball at Tenebrae. "You ran like a coward!"

"Oh crap!" Tenebrae charged as much mana as he could into his Keyblade. The flames roared as he swung at the incoming attack. "Firaga Blade!" The two attacks collided, with an explosion that sent Tenebrae flying into a nearby rock formation.

Alicx walked up to him, the anger never leaving her eyes. She wasn't the same girl Tenebrae remembered. This girl was different. And it worried him greatly.

"Do you know how long I suffered, coward?" Alicx asked. "Do you know what I endured in that War? All because I held onto the slightest hope of seeing my friends. But guess what? You were never on the list!"

"What?" Tenebrae coughed up a little blood.

"It was pity. You wanted someone to be by your side. You just didn't want to admit it. We were never friends. I just needed a place to work on my experiments in private. And you were someone everyone else avoided."

'That's a lie,' Tenebrae thought, he could feel his Darkness growing. 'No, she didn't need to sit with me, if that was the case. She could have stayed away, like everyone else. Did… did I misread our entire relationship?' His head sagged forward, tears beginning to pool in his eyes.

Alicx turned and walked away. "Too bad. If you were just a bit stronger, I would happily do some experiments on you. But right now," She looked over her shoulder. "The sight of you makes me sick." She walked deeper into the Realm and out of sight.

Tenebrae felt enough pain in his body to force him to pass out. It seemed like he used more mana than he expected today. His last thought before the darkness took hold, was of Laci and her bright smile. -

Tenebrae woke up in front of the abandoned mansion. He wasn't sure how he got there, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that he saw Laci, or Alicx now. Did that make her a Nobody like Shaylex?

Tenebrae was too exhausted mentally to worry about all of this. He didn't even feel his urge to kill. He just felt tired. But he also felt charged.

Tenebrae held out his palm and thought of a random spot in Twilight Town. In front of him, a portal to Darkness opened. He poked his head through, and sure enough, the location he chose was on the other side. 'Good to see transportation is possible again. A little late, but better late than never.'

Tenebrae decided to close the portal and walk through the forest. He struck down any Heartless with ease. As he went back into town, his thoughts wandered back to Alicx. He tried to keep her words out of his head, but it didn't work. He felt the tired feeling return, along with a feeling of sadness.

He decided to rest for the night. He jumped onto a random roof and made himself comfortable.

'Guess I'll check in with Keval's group for a mission tomorrow,' Tenebrae thought as he drifted to sleep. 'I was gone all day today.' -

* * *

And here we go. Like I said, I needed to mess with my OC's mental state. I also needed a none BS way of giving him some lost abilities.  
I will say thanks to BloodRoseKnight, who is the creator of Laci/Alicx. Check out her LP story Fire Light, for Laci's views on the Protectors.


	14. Beaches and Relaxation

And here we go with another chapter. I wonder if we'll see Tenebrae suffer more. Guess we'll have to find out.

* * *

Tenebrae woke up the next morning, sore and tired. Even though he was drained the day before, he still felt tired. And the memories of the encounter with Alicx didn't help. He needed to get them out of his head.

He jumped from his rooftop and headed to grab some food. It was a small breakfast, but enough. He probably should have gotten more, but he wasn't very hungry.

Tenebrae walked to the Light Protectors' apartment and knocked on the door. To his surprise, Ray opened the door. The young Wielder was still wearing his mask. Without a word, Ray opened the door enough for Tenebrae to enter.

"You're just in time," Ray said, closing the door and walking to the kitchenette. "It's my turn to cook breakfast. And I'm quite the chef, if I do say so myself."

"Good for you." Tenebrae sat on one of the couches and relaxed. "But I'm not hungry. I came for a mission, nothing more.

"Well you may be waiting a while. I'm the only one up." Ray went back to cooking. "That's how it works. Whoever is cooking that day, has to be up before the others."

"Sounds lame." Tenebrae laid across the couch.

"Nah! It's fair. We all get to work on our skills. And no one person is stuck cooking for everyone. It was Keval's idea."

'Of course, it was. Lazy bum.' Tenebrae yawned, "Look I don't really care. I just want to go and kill some Heartless. I don't care with who."

"Well, I'm going to be waking the others in a bit. Then we'll see." Ray looked to him with a smirk.

Tenebrae couldn't help but notice how that looked like Keval. It seemed like his old Union mate was rubbing off on the boy. The poor child.

Tenebrae relaxed on the couch until he heard Ray call out. Ray went to each room and got the other Protectors up. They each seemed groggy but rested. Tenebrae raised an eyebrow at how bushy Mojie's hair looked.

Tenebrae watched as the others ate. They started to become more animated as they filled their stomachs. They became more awake as well. They looked like a proper party, making jokes and enjoying their time together.

Watching them, made Tenebrae feel sick. While the group wasn't bad, the concept of parties didn't make sense. Having more than a few Wielders together, made for less targets, meaning longer missions. Solo or duo missions were ideal, that way there were more enemies to take out.

"Yo! Tenny!" Keval was leaning on the back of the couch he was laying on. "Did you end up relaxing yesterday?"

Tenebrae sat up, facing away. "I did not. I went to do some research. And I relearned some abilities." He couldn't bring up Alicx. He needed to confront her on his own.

"That sounds pretty sweet," Keval said, the pressure left the couch as he walked around it. "I can't wait to see how much you grew."

"Hey Keval, about what we were talking about yesterday?" Solas walked up and sat opposite of Tenebrae. "Why don't I take Tenebrae here on that 'secret mission'?" The emphasis on 'secret' wasn't lost on Tenebrae.

"Sounds like a good plan," Keval said with a big grin. He went back to his room and came out with a small bag. He tossed it to Tenebrae. "You'll need these for the mission."

Tenebrae caught the bag and went to open it. Only for Solas to stop him.

"No, no," the brunette said, "You're not allowed to open that until we get to our destination. Hold on a sec." Solas ran into his room and came back with a bag about the same size. "Alright let's go."

Solas summoned his keyblade. It had a different design than most standard blades. The hilt was white but had no guard. The blade was a bright yellow, with three white spikes that made the teeth.

Solas opened a portal and gestured Tenebrae to walk through. He was hesitant but went along with it. He had nothing better to do. Solas followed behind shortly after. When Tenebrae emerged, he was surprised with what he saw.

The pair was in come kind of cave. There were chalk drawings and roots all around them. Tenebrae guessed they were under some big tree.

Tenebrae looked at one drawing in particular. It seemed to depict a boy with spikey hair and a girl with short, straight hair. Both had a hand facing the other, with what seemed to be stars. The picture looked like the two were going to feed each other.

"This way," Solas said. He dismissed his Keyblade and exited the cave.

Tenebrae followed. As he walked through the entrance, Tenebrae was blinded by the light of the sun. When his eyes adjusted, he took in the scene. His eyes widened in realization.

The pair was at a beach. But not just any beach. This beach looked exactly like the one connected to Kingdom Hearts. But that was in the Realm of Darkness.

"How?" Tenebrae looked around confused. "How are we back?"

"What do you mean?" Solas asked.

Tenebrae grabbed the other Wielder by the shoulders. He glared into Solas's eyes and growled. "Why are we back in the Realm of Darkness? How did you get us here?"

"Realm of Darkness?" Solas chuckled a little, making Tenebrae let go. "No dude, we are on Destiny Islands, in the Realm of Light. Have you been here before?"

"No." Tenebrae clutched his head. So, this World had fallen, but was brought back. Was it during that meteor shower a few days ago? "I guess I was mistaking it for someplace else."

"Uh huh?" Solas either didn't buy it or didn't care. "Well, we are going to start that mission after a quick change. Follow me."

Solas led the pair into a small shack. It was bare of anything. A small staircase lead to another area.

"Now you can look in the bag." Solas said with a grin.

Tenebrae raised an eyebrow. Hesitantly, he opened the bag Keval gave him. In it was a black towel and a pair of black swimming trunks with a flame design.

"Swimwear?" Tenebrae looked at Solas confused.

The other Wielder had a smile that could split his face. "Yep. Put those on and we will go." Solas ascended the stairs and out of sight.

With a shrug, Tenebrae disrobed. He was trying to think of what the mission could entail. He put on the trunks and thought. Maybe the mission would be underwater. But he would have been useless, even if he could use other types of magic.

Tenebrae put his clothes into the bag. He left his goggles on, resting them on his chest. He took a quick look at his body, and he noticed the definition. He was fighting on the frontlines more, and it showed.

Solas returned not long after. The other Wielder was dressed in trunks that matched the pattern of his scarf. He had the same smile from earlier. The smile worried Tenebrae.

"Alright, now that we changed, we can begin," Solas said. He took Tenebrae's bag and held it. "But we won't be needing these."

Tenebrae was confused. When a portal opened next to Solas, Tenebrae was surprised. He started freaking out when Solas threw both bags into the portal and it closed.

"What the hell!?" Tenebrae shouted, just as the portal closed. "Those were my only set of clothes! What were you thinking?"

"come on," Solas had his towel and walked out the shack. It looked like he was ignoring Tenebrae's question. "Time to start our mission."

Tenebrae growled. He grabbed the towel he was given and followed Solas How was he supposed to go back with no clothes.

The pair stopped at the edge of the water. Solas laid out his towel and smooth it out. He then ran to the water and jumped in.

Tenebrae stood there, confused and angry. What kind of mission was this? There were no Heartless, and nothing to fight. There was just water and sand.

"Come on in," Solas called, waving his hand. "The water is great!"

"What is you game?" Tenebrae growled, "What was the mission?"

"To relax," Solas started to swim backwards. "Keval said you spent a lot of time in the Library in Daybreak Town. And how you never really socialized. He was worried yesterday when you left. It looked like you were on the verge of burnout."

Tenebrae crossed his arms and looked away, "Well thanks for the concern, but I'm fine. I blew off some steam in my own way. And I prefer to do it that way again."

"But you were exhausted," Solas stepped back onto the sand. "We all saw it. Something is stressing you out. And since you won't say what, the next best thing is to relax and have fun."

Tenebrae scoffed. Fun? His idea of fun was either fighting Heartless or reading. He didn't need to run around like an idiot to have fun.

"I'm fine," Tenebrae said after a moment. "I just want to get things done. Something like this is a waste of time."

"Is it?" Solas had a smirk and walked behind Tenebrae. "Because this could also be training."

"Training? How's that?"

Tenebrae turned in time to see Solas thrust a hand of magic at him. Electricity shot from the brunette's hand, which impacted Tenebrae and sent him flying into the water. Tenebrae impacted the water, hard.

Tenebrae surfaced and spit out seawater. "ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!? What if I couldn't swim?"

"Then the training would have begun." Solas jumped into the water and swam towards Tenebrae. "Here is how this works; You can't leave the water until you catch me. If you catch me, I'll open a portal back to the Light Protectors. If you open a portal and try to go back, the Light Protectors will just push you back."

"I can go to other worlds, you know." Tenebrae rolled his eyes.

"True," Solas laughed, "But where are your items?"

"Ha! In the…" Tenebrae realized what had happened. "in the bag you threw into the portal. Dammit!"

"Yep, have fun." Solas dove underwater and out of sight.

Tenebrae lost sight and feeling of Solas. He growled as he treaded water. He didn't have time to be doing this. And even if he wanted to leave, his Munny was with his clothes.

Tenebrae dove underwater to look for Solas. He used a wind-based spell to help him breath underwater. He wanted to finish this quickly but couldn't find the other Wielder.

Tenebrae started to swim toward the dock first. Since the spell was small, it didn't take much focus to keep it active. He was able to breath easily as he swam. But it didn't help him find Solas.

Tenebrae made it to the dock and looked around. He didn't see Solas and wasn't sure what to do. Tenebrae turned and swam toward the islet he saw before.

Teenbrae couldn't see the other Wielder at all. The water was clear, so it shouldn't have been hard to see him. He swam to the islet and around it. He still wasn't sure how this was supposed to be fun.

Tenebrae swam back up to the surface. He took a look around. Tenebrae noticed something on the beach and got a bit angry.

Solas was laying down, facing the water. He had a shit-eating grin on his face. The kind that told Tenebrae he'd been had.

"Hey dude," the other Wielder waved lazily, "Did you enjoy your swim?"

"I WILL BURN YOU!" Tenebrae shouted. "I swam around LOOKING for you! And you were on the beach!"

"I said you had to catch me, without leaving the water." Solas still had the same grin. "I never said I couldn't leave. So come on, catch me."

Tenebrae growled and dove back into the water. He got tricked. Now the thought was how to get Solas without leaving the water. He may have wanted to end this, but he was going to do so by playing by the unfair rules.

'I can't leave the water. But it doesn't mean I can't go through anything.' Tenebrae thought as he swam towards the shore.

He memorized where Solas was sitting. Tenebrae swam lower and used his mana to manipulate the waster and sand. Slowly, he made a tunnel of sand as water traveled through it. He kept focusing as he swam, turning up when he went far enough in. When he was sure he was close enough, he used his mana to blast the water skyward.

Tenebrae broke the surface of the puddle he made. He looked around with a smirk looking for Solas. His smile dropped when he saw Solas waving from the shack. The other Wielder was waving nonchalantly with that damned grin. Tenebrae's eye twitched.

"How~~~~" Tenebrae hissed.

"Fun fact," Solas said, walking to Tenebrae. "My affinity is lightning. If I let it course through my body, I can move fast than the eye can see. And it slows down my perception of time enough to avoid certain attacks."

Tenebrae felt like a fool. He knew nothing of the other Wielders, besides Keval. That meant he had no way to guess their abilities. 'And he has an affinity that makes him more elusive.'

"So now what?" Tenebrae growled.

"Come on and rest," Solas said, sitting on his towel. "We are here to relax."

Tenebrae pulled himself out of his puddle. Without another word, Tenebrae walked to his towel. He grabbed it and flattened it out next to Solas. He went ahead and laid down next to the other Wielder.

"This is a waste of…" Tenebrae didn't even get his sentence out. His body gave out and he fell asleep. He didn't realize how tired he was. And the beach was very peaceful.

As he rested, Tenebrae dreamed. He saw himself, Laci, Mojie, Keval, Shaylex, Rylan, Ray and Solas. They were all together, laughing and having a good time. Everyone was smiling, it was a warming sight. 'This is what it is like to have friends, isn't it?' he thought as the dream went on. 'Too bad, they don't view me as one.'

When Tenebrae opened his eyes, the sun was close to setting. He felt refreshed as he stretched. Tenebrae wasn't as sore as when he slept outside. When his hands came down, he felt something lumpy.

Tenebrae looked down and saw the bag he had earlier. He picked it up, confused, and looked around. He saw Solas dressed in his original outfit, scarf and all.

"Have a good nap? You looked peaceful; I didn't want to mess that up." Solas had a warm smile.

"It was…" Tenebrae wasn't sure how to respond. He felt better than he had for the last few days. "It was refreshing."

Tenebrae got up and went to the shack, with his bag. He changed into his clothes, resting his goggles on his chest again. He walked out and met up with Solas.

"Let me take that." Solas took Tenebrae's bag and threw it through a portal. "Alright, now for the part you like. Since this World was brought back, the main area has had a small Heartless infestation. We can take care of some before we go."

Tenebrae chuckled. "Now you're speaking my language."

Solas nodded and opened a portal. The pair walked through and were deposited in the center of a town. It was dark, with a few streetlamps.

The pair was met with some low-level Heartless. They rushed in and took care of them. For the first time in a long time, Tenebrae had fun. He used to fight for a goal. And recently, he fought to quell his anger. Today was the first time he fought to compete with another, by his own choice.

When the two Wielders cleared the area, they rested. Tenebrae didn't feel tired though. He felt at ease, but also charged. He couldn't mistake the feeling, he was happy.

"Alright," Solas said, stretching. "We made good time. Let's head back."

"Yeah," Tenebrae had a genuine smile on his face. "I had fun today."

"Good to hear." Solas opened a portal. "Let's head home."

The pair walked through. They were met with the smell of food being cooked. Ray was in the kitchen, having a blast. Mojie was on one of the couches, reading. Rylan had a device in his hand, that he was messing with. Keval was snoring on another couch.

"We're back!" Solas called.

Keval lazily waved and hand. While Rylan and Mojie didn't look up from their activities, but each waved.

"so enthusiastic," Tenebrae said sarcastically. He faked a sigh, before saying, "And to think, I actually wanted to have dinner with you all tonight."

Keval's head snapped up. He was in front of Tenebrae in the blink of an eye. "You mean it!? You gonna join us?"

Tenebrae pushed him back with a finger. "Only for dinner. It's late and I don't want to pay. Once I'm done, I'm leaving."

"I'll take it!" Keval said with a fist bump. "It's one step closer."

Tenebrae smiled at Keval's antics. He was finding it hard to remember why he disliked the lightning-user. 'I was an idiot, wasn't I?' -

* * *

And there we go. No suffering, but Tenebrae did learn a good lesson. let's see how long it lasts.  
And thanks to for letting me use Solas. His character was perfect for this particular task.


	15. Water and Hope

Just like last chapter, this one may be a little more of a mellow chapter. But we do have another special Protector with us.  
So let's get on with the chaper!

* * *

The dinner was a fun affair. Conversation was upbeat as the Light Protectors talked. To Tenebrae, it was like watching them back at the Unions. Seeing all the groups happy and joking. But this time, he was a part of the conversation, even though he didn't say much.

When the dinner was done, Tenebrae left. As much as he wanted to stay, he felt like it would be better on his own. Things felt a little too bright with them. But he had plans to come back.

Tenebrae jumped to another rooftop to rest for the night. He had a dream like the one on the beach. Him and all the Wielders he's met in Daybreak Town. It filled him with a happiness he hadn't felt in a long time.

When the sun rose for the next morning, Tenebrae was awoken by the rays. He stretched, not feeling as sore as usual. He found a place to jump down without drawing attention. He jumped down his rooftop.

Tenebrae headed towards the Light Protectors' apartment. Something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He turned quickly and saw a figure in a black cloak. They noticed him and walked into one of the tunnels.

'They were waiting for me?' Tenebrae thought. 'Xigbar said the Organization wouldn't care for me. And I met Shaylex by chance.' He followed the cloaked figure.

Tenebrae entered the tunnel and looked around. Leaning on a wall on the other end, Tenebrae saw the red-haired man that came for Shaylex last week.

"Axel, right?" Tenebrae asked.

"Oh! You got it memorized." Axel pointed to his temple. "I'm flattered."

"How did you find me?" Tenebrae tried to ignore his irritation. "Shaylex and I have met up once, and it was in your home world. We didn't have time to set a meeting place."

"Honestly, Twilight Town is a small place. And you stand out buddy," Axel smirked. "I saw you by chance, and thought I tell you Shaylex is fine. She's just been busy."

"I'm not worried," Tenebrae shrugged. "She is strong. I'm sure she can handle anything you lot throw at her."

"I like the attitude," Axel chuckled, "Well, I'll tell her I bumped into ya. Anything I should say?"

Tenebrae shook his head. Anything he wanted to tell her should come from him. "Nothing at all. Is that it?"

A corridor appeared near Axel. "Yeah. Catch ya later." Axel walked through the portal.

Tenebrae left the tunnel soon after. He needed to meet up with the Protectors. He was glad to know Shaylex was fine. But he had to worry about himself as well. He made it to the apartment and was met by Rylan, who opened the door.

"Morning dude," Rylan smiled, "You're in luck. Keval is cooking today."

"Then I'm glad I ate before I got here," Tenebrae said, walking into the apartment.

"He isn't that bad a cook. He probably only loses to Mojie, and that's cuz she uses love when she cooks." Rylan laughed.

Tenebrae shook his head and smiled. It was nice to see them able to joke like that.

"Welcome to the Thunderdome!" Keval called out from the kitchen. He had come out with a variety of breakfast foods. "Oh! Hey Tenny!"

Tenebrae looked at Rylan. The latter had an embarrassed look on his face.

"Yeah, he does that every morning he cooks," Rylan chuckled.

"Yeah, I'm definitely not eating anything he made." Tenebrae went to a couch and sat down. He saw the other come out of their rooms to eat.

As the Protectors ate, Tenebrae listened half-heartedly. It was just normal conversation. Until Mojie said something interesting.

"Every time I go, it's not the same," she sounded on the verge of tears. "It was such a beautiful place."

"Hey, don't worry Munchkin," Ray said. "A lot of worlds came back. Maybe it did as well."

"That's the thing," Mojie sniffed, "I've been there recently. And…and…"

Tenebrae sat up. "What is she talking about?"

"One of her favorite worlds to visit," Solas said. "She claims it isn't the same as it once was."

"Sounds interesting," Tenebrae said, putting a hand to his chin. "I don't mind checking the world out. Give me a name, and I'll go."

"No, I still want to visit it," Mojie said, "I just can't bear to see the World as it is."

"Well, I need a mission, and you want return." Tenebrae got up and stretched. "So, let's consider this our joint assignment. We can check out the World and see what can be done."

Mojie seemed to perk up and nodded. She ate quickly and went to her room to change. She came back dressed in her twin-tails and sweater.

Mojie walked to the door and summoned her Keyblade. It was the same as the one Keval was wielding. The white of the weapon seemed to work with the girl's innocence. She used her Keyblade to open a portal.

Tenebrae followed behind Mojie as the two entered the portal. Tenebrae looked around confused when they exited.

In the distance, Tenebrae saw the giant castle from Hollow Bastion. But if this was the world Mojie spoke of, then how did she not know? He saw some building in front of the pair. It looked like someone was trying to rebuild.

"We are in Hollow Bastion," He said. "I was here with Rylan recently."

"You're Wrong!" Mojie shouted. She was on her tiptoes, trying to get in his face. She wasn't as convincing as she wanted to be. "This world is called Radiant Garden. It was a beautiful World! I don't know when it became like this."

"Calm down," Tenebrae pushed the female Wielder back down, sighing. "Look, we came to check out what happened. So, let's do that. Look over there, there are some stairs we can go down."

Tenebrae pointed to a staircase off to the side. He started descending them, with Mojie following behind him. Tenebrae could tell she was nervous. He could feel plenty of negativity coming from her.

Tenebrae noticed Leon in the distance. The brunette was directing a few individuals in a building project. The male was being efficient with his orders.

"Follow me and follow my lead," he told Mojie. When she nodded, he approached Leon.

"Leon, right?" Tenebrae asked.

Leon turned and looked at the pair. "And you are?"

"Tenebrae," he smirked, "Last we met, I wasn't sure I could trust. I hid my features because of that. I came here before with a man named Rylan."

"I remember. And I can see why you would hide at first. But you didn't have me fooled."

"Fair," Tenebrae said with a grin. He did reach behind him and grabbed Mojie. She squeaked as he pushed her in front of him. "Well this one is another of Rylan's friends. She and I were curious about this World, or anything we can do to help."

"Since you survived the castle, you know how to fight," Leon said, placing a hand to his chin. "Do you know about the Heartless?"

"We do. Let's say we are Heartless Hunters," Tenebrae said as Mojie darted behind him.

"Well then," Leon had a smirk on, "There are some areas still swarming with Heartless. Can you hunt some down and help to reclaim the area?"

Tenebrae and Mojie nodded. The pair were handed cards from Leon. They read, "Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee". Tenebrae glanced at Mojie and saw her get sad.

"Here," Leon handed Tenebrae a few pebbles. "When the Heartless are cleared, throw one of these to the ground. They will set off a beacon for us to know where to go."

"Noted." Tenebrae took the pebbles and pocketed them. "Let's go, Munchkin."

Mojie seemed to blush when he said the nickname. The pair descended another staircase that led deep into a crevasse. The blue mountains looked just like he remembered from the rising waterfalls. It was oddly nostalgic.

The pair walked away from the buildings before Tenebrae spoke. "Whenever anyone says Hollow Bastion, you get sad. Why is that?"

Mojie flinched. She pressed her fingers together. It looked like she was debating something.

"This World is called Radiant Garden," she said softly. "It was a thriving World years ago. It looked so beautiful in the books. But seeing it now…" Mojie started to tear up.

Tenebrae could feel her sadness and pain. However, he had no experience when it came to emotion. Only anger and rage. He wasn't good at helping an emotional person.

Luckily for him, some Heartless appeared. Both Wielders summoned their Keyblades. Mojie's stance showed she wasn't a physical fighter.

"Time to start our mission," Tenebrae said, before he charged the swarm.

Tenebrae relished in the battle. Even though he was fighting, he still had his special awareness. He noticed Mojie was using water-based magic. Her magic looked strong, as she was able to wash away some of the larger Heartless.

"Keep them occupied!" Tenebrae rushed and armored Heartless, Striking it down with his flame. When the Heartless were in between the two Wielders, Tenebrae called out to Mojie. "Now! Hit them with your strongest spell!"

Tenebrae shot a large fireball at the Heartless. Mojie sent a large jet of water towards the Heartless. The two spells collided and caused an explosion of Light and Darkness. Tenebrae had to cover his eyes to avoid getting blinded.

Tenebrae opened his eyes and looked around. He didn't feel any Heartless. And he saw Mojie off to the side. She was catching her breath.

Tenebrae walked up to the younger Wielder. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Mojie looked flushed. It was almost like she was drained already.

"We can rest," Tenebrae took out one of the pebbles. He threw it with all his might, a few meters away. The pebble shined on impact, and a pillar of light appeared. "We don't need to continue right away. Just rest."

"But I can still fight," Mojie argued weakly. "We should keep going."

Tenebrae sighed. "We have no time limit. So, we can take breaks." Tenebrae picked up the other Wielder and walked to a wall. "So, sit and recover."

Mojie flailed in his arms as he walked. Tenebrae set her on the wall and ignored her pout. She had the adorable look of a puppy. It made Tenebrae kind of worried.

'How could someone like her become a Wielder?' Tenebrae thought. He looked over at Mojie as saw her snacking. 'Besides her magic, there isn't much that shows she was from Daybreak. She's timid and emotional. How could she have made it through any solo missions?'

"You know Keval, right?" Mojie asked.

"He and I were part of the same Union," Tenebrae answered, a little surprised by the question. "But we weren't exactly friends."

"But you guys get along so well," Mojie had a sweet smile, "Are you sure you aren't friends now?"

The question stung a bit. Tenebrae didn't have any friends. If Keval thought they were friends, more power to him.

"I'm quite sure we aren't," Tenebrae sighed. He got up and ready to go. "Come on, let's clear some more Heartless."

Mojie got up and dusted herself off. She followed Tenebrae quickly. The pair cleared more of the mountain crevasse. They repeated the pattern of clearing, setting a beacon and resting. Mojie had to be forced to rest when she used too much mana.

As they walked between battles, Mojie told Tenebrae about Radiant Garden. She told him of its looks and beauty. She seemed to glow as she talked. Tenebrae could feel her Light and positivity.

The pair finished clearing an area that overlooked the castle. Tenebrae was surprised to see it still standing. He had a feeling it should have crumbled from the Darkness that came from it.

"It used to hold the ruler," Mojie said. "The castle in the distance. But I heard he disappeared. Then this World was destroyed. When I came here, it was so sad to see this World."

"Not to sound heartless, but I don't see why it matters," Tenebrae said. "This World is back. The Darkness may have reformed it, but it should still have the same heart. So just look at it with your heart."

Mojie looked at him worried. But she nodded and closed her eyes. He saw a warm smile appear on her face. She seemed to enjoy what she saw.

Tenebrae did the same and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. He felt the connection to the Heart of the World and saw it.

There were so many buildings. Gardens could be seen. Clear water was in fountains and waterfalls. The Castle of Hollow Bastion was replaced with a magnificent structure. There were so many beautiful things about this World. So much Light that was contained in the World.

"It really was beautiful," Tenebrae said with a smile. "I should have come here to visit before."

Mojie nodded. She had a smile that would have warmed a person's heart. She seemed a bit to pure to be a Keyblade Wielder. But Tenebrae guess that was why.

"We should back track," Tenebrae said. "This way we can head back to our starting point. Unless there were other places you wanted to explore?"

"No, we can head back." Mojie's smile never left her face. "Thank you."

'She thanked me?'

Tenebrae smiled, "You're welcome, Mojie."

Tenebrae led the pair back to the town-like area. Leon explained how they saw the beacons and would head out to rebuild. When everything was done, the pair went back to their point of entry. Mojie opened a portal back to the Light Protectors' apartment.

"Hey Momo!" Kevaled waved from the couch. "Hey, look at you, you're practically glowing. How did it go?"

"We helped the World out," Tenebrae reported. "And I learned something interesting about the Worlds."

"Really? Well hey, that's good." Keval was smiling like a goof. "What about you Momo?"

"I got to see the World I read about," Mojie giggled. "And Tenebrae helped me to do it."

"Well look at you Tenny. Trying to become a Master?"

"Nope," Tenebrae said definitely, "I prefer to research. I don't think I would make a good teacher." He turned and walked towards the door. "Besides, I like to conduct tests, not grade them. Have a good night."

Tenebrae walked away before either could say anything else. He didn't dislike the group, but he worried about opening up to them. After the last few missions, he felt his Light grow. While that wasn't bad, it felt like he was being suffocated.

Tenebrae thought about exploring Twilight Town a bit more. He walked to the train station to see where he could go. Asking about the trains, he learned there was a local line that was free of charge. Any other line would cost a fair amount of Munny.

Tenebrae took the local line and exited in a new part of town. He walked down the stairs of the station. The setting was different, with a lot more houses making a small maze. Tenebrae noticed a large tunnel, that seemed to lead to an underground path.

"There is a tram here too," Tenebrae said aloud as he watched the train go. "Are people just that lazy?"

He walked around the area. Tenebrae noticed there was an odd alleyway. There also seemed to be a decorative waterfall. Tenebrae then noticed a path that led up a hill.

Tenebrae took the path up. He was surprised to see a mini diorama of Twilight Town at the top. There were benches on the edge of the hill, perfect for watching the sunset.

Tenebrae took the moment for what it was and sat at one of the benches. He watched the sunset and felt at peace. He had to thank the Light Protectors for that.

The ones he has interacted with, had helped him to find a piece of himself. Keval helped to spark his competitive nature. Rylan helped him to learn his restraint, while rekindling his love of research. Solas had helped him to relax and get rid if his stress. Mojie reminded him it was oaky to open his heart.

But why didn't he want to stay with the Protectors? Tenebrae placed a hand on his chest and focused on his Light. It was almost non-existent in the Realm of Darkness. After hanging around Shaylex and the Light Protectors, he could tell his Light was getting stronger. Whether that was good or not, only time would tell.

Tenebrae decided it would be good to rest up for the day. He yawned as he laid back on the bench. He had a smile on his face as he fell asleep. He had another dream about all the Wielders he met, and Cetus was added among them. All of them felt close. -

* * *

Aww look at my angsty boy, learning about himself. Hopefully it will be enough to help him.  
I will thank Mojie_cosplay, one of my good friends on TikTok, for letting me use her character Mojie. I'm grateful for them letting me use her, and like with the others this isn't the last we will see of her.  
Until next time!


	16. Duality and Desire

New chapter, New World, and one more Light protector to pair up with. And you'll know who if you paid attention.  
So let's get on with the chapter.

* * *

Tenebrae was again woken up buy the sunrise. He didn't feel as sore as he normally did. He considered that progress, but he really needed to find a bed soon.

He also needed to find out when Shaylex would come back. Meeting with Axel did not help to ease his fear. Shaylex was strong, yes, but an organization had ways of weeding out weaker members. And the day Axel came to get her, nearly a week ago now, the red-haired Nobody was worried. Could Shaylex not be getting along with her group?

Tenebrae shook the thought away as he left the hill. He did walk by some townspeople. They were either chatting or hanging around. He did hear someone mention the name "Sunset Hill". That may have been where he came from.

Tenebrae took the train back to the main part of town. He went to the Shopping District to buy his breakfast. It was just a pastry and some juice, but it was enough. He just needed to sate his hunger enough to keep going.

'I wonder how Cetus is fairing?' Tenebrae thought as he walked to the flower shop. 'I never set a time to meet with Keval's group. I think I can waste a few minutes.'

Tenebrae made it to Cetus's shop quickly. He saw her watering some flowers in front of her shop. Tenebrae wasn't sure if he should even interact with her.

The last thing Tenebrae wanted was to involve a civilian. For all he knew, this girl just happened to share the name and appearance of the Wielder. She had no memory of Keval, which was weird. Tenebrae remembered Keval saying the two grew up together. So, that only made things more complicated.

"Good morning," he called as he walked up.

Cetus looked up to him and smiled. "Good morning… Tenebrae, was it?"

"It is." He nodded as he took a sip of his drink. "Wanted to see how business was going for you Cetus. And if Keval ever came back around?"

Cetus giggled and had a small smile. "Business is great. Everyone loves our flowers. And Keval comes by most days. He always talks about all these adventures he has. He even talks about his past."

"Sounds like him," Tenebrae said with a smile. Was Keval trying to jog her memory? He could just a normal customer, but to talk about the past and his missions… "What do you think of his stories? About the adventures he goes on."

Cetus held the watering can close to her chest. She looked conflicted. "They sound fun. But also, dangerous. And he talks to me as if we have been friends for a long time. A part of me wants to believe him."

'He's reaching her heart,' Tenebrae thought, 'Sometimes the Heart is stronger than any Keyblade. But can it cure this?'

"Like me, he is a mercenary," Tenebrae said, "He'll always have a story. But a lot of them are dangerous. Can you really imagine yourself doing anything like that?"

Cetus shook her head. "I guess not. What could a flower girl do?"

'More than you know.'

Tenebrae shrugged. "Not sure. You are the first I met. Just do this, take his stories for what they are…stories. It's not something you can imitate. So, do what you do best."

Cetus nodded with a smirk. "You're right. I love my flowers. And I love to see people smile."

"Good." Tenebrae turned to leave. "Next time I visit, I'll buy something. I have a prior engagement to attend. See you around."

Cetus waved as he left. He couldn't help but feel guilty. She was happy this way. There was no need to tell her of her past.

Tenebrae made it to the Light Protectors' apartment. Beyond the door, he heard laughter and joking. He rolled his eyes as he knocked on the door.

It was Solas who answered. "Hey bro, you just missed breakfast." He moved to the side to let Tenebrae in.

Tenebrae walked past and sat on one of the couches. "I'm fine. I ate before I came here. So, the only one I've yet to be paired with is Ray."

The mentioned Wielder came out of his room, in his gear. "Interested in being shown up?" he smirked at Tenebrae.

"It's not a competition," Tenebrae sighed. "I'm offering support as YOU go on a mission. So where are we going?"

"Just follow my lead." Ray walked up to the door and summoned his Keyblade.

The Keyblade seemed to be made of ice. The jagged blade was unusual, but the color made it beautiful. The snowflake teeth added to it.

Ray summoned a portal and jumped through. Tenebrae was right behind the other Wielder. Tenebrae was a bit surprised at their location.

The pair exited onto a beach of sorts. There was along stone bridge that lead to a town. Many buildings could be seen, with a larger structure in the distance. Behind the pair, a thick forest could be seen.

"Yes! I timed it right!" Ray cheered with a smile.

"Time what right?" Tenebrae asked with a raised eyebrow. "Where are we?"

"We are in a World called the Kingdom of Corona," Ray said with a smirk. "And every year, they hold a festival. Check it." Ray pointed off into the distance.

Tenebrae looked closely and saw decorations. He saw balloons, streamers and banners. It did look festive, even from this distance.

"So, what exactly was the mission?" Tenebrae asked.

He noticed Ray flinch. It looked like he was nervous about something. "Oh… uh… We were going to do some recon in town. And after that, we'll head into the forest to hunt Heartless. Once nightfall hits, we'll return to town to make sure the Heartless don't invade." Ray regained his composure as he explained his plan.

'He wants to stay until nightfall? Then why leave the town at all, or why enter at all? Something doesn't add up.'

"Fine," Tenebrae said. "Lead the way."

Ray nodded before walking along the bridge. Tenebrae followed the younger Wielder. Even with the mask, Tenebrae could see the boy's joy and excitement. It looked like a child ready for a festival.

When the pair got closer to the town, Tenebrae was amazed. The town was filled with music and dancing. The purple decorations seemed even more beautiful up close. The golden sun on the banners stood out against the purple. Everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves.

There was Light everywhere. And it was suffocating Tenebrae. This entire festival, all these people, all of it was aggravating. He did sense Darkness, but everyone was in too good a mood for it to stick.

To make matters worse, Ray was going from stall to stall. He looked like a child, with how excited he was. You would think he didn't have a Keyblade. Tenebrae groaned as Ray enjoyed himself.

'This is not reconnaissance,' Tenebrae thought, with a snarl on his face, 'This is a day trip! He wanted to come to a festival.'

Tenebrae watched the young Wielder dance with some of the townsfolk. It wasn't bad, but it looked more like Ray was goofing off. Tenebrae wasn't blind, he could see there was another reason Ray wanted to come.

But what was the attraction to this world? Why would Ray like it? There was a lot of Light, and a source he couldn't place. Of course, there was Darkness, but it was being kept at bay.

Tenebrae followed Ray. Watching the young Wielder enjoy himself, Tenebrae was reminded of his time in the Unions. It was refreshing to see the innocence, even though he was a bit conceited. Tenebrae remembered the times when he just relaxed and did nothing. But that was a long time ago.

Tenebrae walked up to a random stall and grabbed a snack. He conceded to Ray and tried to wait for the other Wielder to have his fun. Ray came to this World with a purpose. Tenebrae felt it was wrong to criticize the other Wielder. He was only meant to act as support anyway.

Tenebrae walked to a secluded area to watch. Ray was enjoying himself. And the boy's smile seemed genuine. Even with the mask hiding his features, Tenebrae could still tell his expressions. Just like he could tell the boy was uneasy around him.

'I have no information on him,' Tenebrae thought as he ate his snack. 'Besides a name and Union, I have nothing. His Keyblade though, it's a more advanced and powerful one. Guess I can't underestimate him. Just like with Mojie.'

He saw Ray pull off a trick on a barrel and jumped off it. The young Wielder landed near Tenebrae. Ray had a smirk on his face.

"Enjoying yourself?" Ray asked. "We'll be done with recon soon. Then we can head to the next area."

Tenebrae narrowed his eyes in annoyance. He didn't fail to notice Ray flinch. Ignoring it, he said, "You said we were doing recon, but all I see is a festival. Did you think I would get angry if you told me that?"

"N…no!" Ray waved his arms defensively. "The festival just happened to be today. I come by every so often, and we just happened to come today. We are still going to fight Heartless."

Tenebrae huffed and walked away. There was a pier and Tenebrae could look out over the water. There was something calming about the water. It reminded him of that black beach in the Realm of Darkness. He wasn't sure why that was the one he thought about.

Nothing was wrong. Tenebrae's mood was fine. But he felt that Ray had lied to him for a reason. A reason the other Wielder didn't want to explain. Sure, there was a part of his mission Tenebrae would like, but it didn't change the misdirection.

'He should have just been straightforward,' Tenebrae thought. 'He needs to make his intent clear. Guess there is a big difference between him and Keval.'

Tenebrae got up and walked back to the bridge. He crossed it and headed towards the woods. He may have been a Supporter, but it didn't mean he had to stay close by.

Tenebrae entered the woods and looked around. It was becoming midday, so the sun was high. It gave him plenty of light to work with. Because with enough light, there would always be shadow.

Tenebrae was surprised to come across a field of wildflowers. It was a serene view, especially with the wind blowing. The petals scattered along the breeze, making a beautiful sight. Tenebrae wished he had someone to share the moment with. But he decided against it and pressed on.

As he progressed, he ended up having to jump over small over hangs. Using his magic, he was able to boost himself between trees and get across easier. When the trees turned into rocky cliffs, a simple alteration made it, so he was running along walls.

Tenebrae was a little surprised. After about an hour of travel and investigation, he found himself in some kind of marsh. Within that time, he found no traces of the Heartless. There was Darkness in the World. So, where were they?

'Only Ray and I are in this World,' Tenebrae thought as he leaned on a tree. 'I haven't felt any other portals open. Nor have I felt any high levels of mana. The townspeople don't give off much mana either.'

But there wasn't much of an explanation. How else could the Heartless population be low? Even with a powerful Light, there should be equally powerful Darkness. Yet he hardly saw a Heartless.

Tenebrae traveled deeper into the marsh. He had made it to what, he hoped, the heart of it would be. When he was Heartless, he was confused why he was relieved. They were surrounding something and that spurred him to action.

Summoning his Keyblade, Tenebrae sent a few dark fireballs at some of the hat-looking Heartless. When those backed off, he rushed in and attacked the ones that seemed to impersonate fancy women. He was able to push them away to see what they surrounded.

Ray was lying in the marsh. He looked bruised and hurt, but alive. At best, the younger Wielder was tired. Tenebrae didn't realize Ray left town.

Tenebrae picked up Ray and put the boy on his back. Tenebrae focused his mana and made short work of the Heartless. The impersonators were difficult to deal with, since they used their umbrellas to shoot at him. But Tenebrae was able to over-power them and any other Heartless he encountered. He let the flames consume all that stood in his way.

Tenebrae took Ray back to the campsite he spotted earlier. There was still some wood left from the campfire. Tenebrae set Ray down on a log and went to light a fire. When the fire burned bright, Tenebrae went to check on Ray. Ray still had his Heart, which allowed Tenebrae to breath a sigh of relief.

'I know I was harsh, but why run off without saying anything?' Tenebrae thought as he tended to Ray's wounds. The green light from the Cure spell removed a lot of the bruising. 'If it was because of trust, then that makes sense. If it was anger, why wouldn't he try and show off?'

Tenebrae pulled out an Ether and consumed it. When he felt his mana recharge, he made sure to heal any other wounds Ray had. Tenebrae made sure to check Ray's head as well, luckily there was nothing major.

As he was stroking Ray's hair back into place, Tenebrae noticed something. From behind the mask, a single tear had fallen. But there were remnants of a smile on the young Wielder's lips. Absentmindedly, Tenebrae kept petting Ray, almost like he was trying to soothe the boy.

At that point, Ray chose to wake up. Both Wielders locked eyes, red eyes met dark ones. Neither moved for a moment.

Ray was the first to react. He jumped over the log behind him and hid. Tenebrae stared at the spot Ray was, his hand still in the air. Tenebrae looked over to Ray was hiding, and noticed the younger Wielder was blushing.

"Wh…Wh…What are you doing!?" Ray sputtered out.

Tenebrae turned his palm toward his face and looked at it. He looked up to Ray with a neutral face and said, "Just now, no idea. But I did find you surrounded by Heartless, passed out. So, I took you to a safe area to heal you up."

Ray huffed and crossed his arms. "I was fine on my own. These Heartless were a cakewalk."

"Really?" Tenebrae got up and walked to the other side of the fire. He sat down before continuing, "That wasn't what I saw. But I'll take your word for it. Why didn't you come find me?"

Ray blinked at him confused. "Because you didn't want to come. You said so yourself."

"No, I asked why you lied," Tenebrae sighed, "We are still partners on this mission. I agreed to help you."

"You didn't seem keen on helping," Ray said with a scowl. "You made fun of me for enjoying the festival."

"Again, you are wrong," Tenebrae said calmly, "I admit, I acted rash. But I only reacted because you didn't tell me the whole truth."

"You made it clear you wouldn't join missions that didn't involve destroying Heartless." Ray looked away. "And the festival is one of the few times I feel loved. I wanted to show you that."

'Acknowledgement?' Tenebrae thought. He understood. There were many times where he wanted Master Ira to notice him. When he wanted people to see how strong he was. But Tenebrae chose to isolate himself, ignoring what anyone said.

"If you had just told me that was your plan, I would have accepted it," Tenebrae said, "I came to help. And if helping means enjoying a party, then where is the harm."

Ray looked at him a little lost. It looked like the other Wielder didn't know what to say. He just nodded and walked around the log. Ray sat in front of it, staring at the fire.

"Your hand was very warm," Ray muttered.

Tenebrae didn't say anything. He just smiled as the two of them sat in silence. It was comfortable, all the tension from before muted for now. Tenebrae could tell he hadn't gained all of Ray's trust, but it was a start.

After some time, the pair got up and left. They made their way deeper into the marsh and came across some hills. They encountered a lot of Heartless and took care of them with ease. Tenebrae observed Ray as they fought the Heartless. It looked like the young Wielder had control over two affinities, using ice and earth magic to help him in battle.

The pair was back at the beach as the sun fell. It was dusk and the two were able to take out scores of Heartless. Tenebrae would admit, to no one, that he enjoyed Ray's company. There was something about the young Wielder that piqued his curiosty.

"We made it back in time!" Ray said with the excitement of a child. He pointed over the water. "This is what I wanted to show you."

Tenebrae followed Ray's finger. In the distance, there was a light shining in a boat. Many others followed, shining in the ocean like stars in the sky. It was a sight to behold.

"Every year, the people of this World have a tradition," Ray said. "To honor the loss of the Princess, lanterns are lit and sent to the heavens. I guess the King and Queen hope they will reach the Princess, and she will return home. Must be nice, having someone who wants you, and is waiting for you."

Tenebrae could sense the sadness in Ray's words. There was a memory that hurt him, but he tried to hide it. Tenebrae both did and did not understand his pain.

"Yeah, it must be nice," Tenebrae said. He saw Ray look at him. "Unlike me, you have a place to return. You have Keval and the Light Protectors. They are waiting back in Twilight Town. And from what I've seen, they want you with them. You guys are one dysfunctional family."

Tenebrae looked over at Ray and saw another tear. But there was no mistaking the smile he saw as well. His words seemed to reach Ray's heart. Tenebrae had a small smile too, as he looked back to the floating lights.

'A place to return to. I wonder if I have somewhere like that.'

* * *

And there is the chapter! I literally was staring at a map of the World so I was getting the locations right.  
And thanks to my friend Aya (Aya_43517 on TikTok) for letting me use Ray. I will admit his character was the hardest to write because of how she had him portrayed, but it was still fun.  
And let's see how this affects Tenebrae, next time!


	17. Exploration and Groups

And here we are agian! No missions this time, but a bit of lore and theories... I think. Either way, not too much action but mostly filler.  
Enjoy!

* * *

After the festival in Corona, Tenebrae had taken Ray back to the Light Protectors. It was going on dinnertime when the pair returned, they saw Rylan finishing up in the kitchen. Everyone else was relaxing. Tenebrae had declined any dinner this time and went on his way.

It was getting dark and he just wanted to rest. Tenebrae also wanted to find a way to contact Shaylex. He knew that could wait a while though. They were partners on missions and nothing more. When she was ready, she would find him.

Tenebrae went to the Sunset Hill and headed to the bench. So far, that was the best place he slept. He was able to ease into but had no dream this time.

When the sun woke him up, he felt surprisingly refreshed. But he knew the feeling wouldn't last. He smelled his clothes. Even after his last adventure, they didn't smell as bad as when he got out of the Realm of Darkness. He knew he needed to find a place soon.

'Even with the Heartless I've encountered,' Tenebrae thought as he descended the Hill, 'I've got enough. But I can't see myself buying a place. And I don't want to have to pay for a hotel each night. I would rather avoid spending too much time with Keval's group.'

Tenebrae boarded the train to head back to town. The local line trip was a short trip. He and others got off the train and headed to the Shopping district. He ordered a breakfast pastry and some juice to quell his hunger. He went to an alley before jumping up to a roof.

Tenebrae sat on the edge of the roof. He started his breakfast and watched the citizens of Twilight Town go about their business. Many people were either chatting or opening shop.

Tenebrae noticed Cetus among the crowd. The Wielder-turned-flower girl didn't seem to have a care in the Worlds. She seemed content with the life she had. Why should she be brought back to this life?

Tenebrae heard a portal open behind him. Mentally, he prepared to fight. Luckily, the presence that stepped through wasn't Heloa or Hashley. He turned and saw Axel waving at him.

"Hey Tenebrae!" Axel said with a smirk. "Glad to see you still around."

"I have nowhere else," Tenebrae said, facing forward and watching Twilight Town. "And like you said, Twilight Town isn't very big. But I'm surprised to see you so soon."

"Well I got some good news," Axel sat down next to him. "Shaylex was taking a break from missions for the last week. But she'll be going tomorrow to a World called the Great Bayou. And she asked me to let you know, so you could meet her there."

"Really? Well whatever happened is her business. But it's good to know I'll be busy tomorrow." Tenebrae looked at Axel from the corner of his eye. "Thank you for finding me, Axel. I'll do my best."

Axel grinned. "Hey, Shaylex is a friend. Just promise me, you two will look after each other."

"She is my Partner," Tenebrae said with a smirk. "I'd rather die than see anything happen to a comrade. So, we will be fine."

"Good." Axel stood up and walked away. "Well I got my own mission to take care of. See you around." Axel walked through a portal and out of sight.

Tenebrae finished his breakfast in silence. After the last few days, he was sure a day off wouldn't be bad. And since he would be on a mission with Shaylex tomorrow, he figured some alone time wouldn't hurt. It was just a matter of what to do.

'I am curious about that tunnel system,' Tenebrae thought as he jumped into the alleyway. 'There was a large gate near Sunset Hill, like the ones in the Shopping District. Could they be connected to each other?'

Tenebrae walked to the nearest entry and entered the tunnels. He was still mentally prepared to fight. So, when the first Heartless appeared, he immediately summoned his Keyblade and burned them. With all the missions he's done, he could tell he got stronger.

Tenebrae made it through the first tunnel with ease. The Heartless hardly posed a threat.

Tenebrae came upon an open area. It was a square room with a few large steps leading down. It was spacious and connected to two other doorways. One lead to another room with a pillar. The other looked to reconnect with the tunnels. Tenebrae decided to jump into the room itself. He wanted to explore the lowest level. Almost immediately, he was attacked by Heartless.

With a snap, flames surrounded Tenebrae. The Heartless closest were burned instantly. Tenebrae felt a power surge through him. He directed his magic as he took down the Heartless.

When the last Heartless burned, Tenebrae had a to take a breath to calm down. The Darkness around him was still strong. It was concentrated only in the tunnels, which concerned Tenebrae. The Darkness seemed to connect to the south of his location, while any other direction led to Light.

Tenebrae decided to follow the Darkness. He went to a gate marked with a "2" above it. It led to another tunnelway. Immediately he came across another open area. There was a waterway at the edge of a platform.

Tenebrae felt the Darkness, but it was muted and focused. In fact, there felt like a connection to the Realm of Darkness. He shouldn't have been surprised, the Heartless needed a way into the World.

'And with no clear path, guess I can't seal it.' Tenebrae thought. 'And something tells me, this isn't the only source. Since I felt the same at that mansion.'

Tenebrae walked through the tunnel. He noticed the exit was to Sunset Terrace. He didn't think that the two areas were connected by the tunnels. That made sense as to why it was free to use the train to travel between. If people weren't lazy, they could take the tunnels and exercise.

'I'm surprised with how much work people will do, to be lazy,' Tenebrae thought as he walked to the Hill. 'But then again, I don't know which area came first. If the trains were built then the tunnels, it would make sense. If it was vice versa, then these people are lazy.'

Tenebrae made it to the Hill and stretched. He walked up to the diorama and examined it. With his current recon, he noticed the diorama looked to be a more recent representation of the town. Most of what he explored could be seen in the diorama. Of course, anything underground didn't seem visible.

'Guess this is a good way to keep track of locations,' Tenebrae thought. 'If you read this like a map, you can always find a place to meet. This will be great for later.'

Tenebrae decided to sit on the bench to relax. While he didn't want to do a mission, he also wasn't sure what to do. Since tomorrow he would meet up with Shaylex, there was no reason to do anything today.

He felt a portal open behind him. It felt like the ones the Organization used, he could tell since Axel and Shaylex used it around him. To his knowledge, Shaylex was meeting him at the World abd Axel was on a mission. Who else even knew about him?

"Hey there, fairy boy," the voice shocked Tenebrae. "Are you being a good little Wielder?"

Tenebrae got up and turned quickly, summoning his Keyblade. He was met with a smirking Xigbar. The Nobody had a knowing look as Tenebrae glared at him.

'What is he doing here?' Tenebrae thought.

"Oh, the silent treatment?" Xigbar seemed to put on a show of being hurt. "I thought we were friends. After all, we both know you came from the Age of Fairytale."

"I have nothing to say to you," Tenebrae growled. "Or need I remind you of the bolts you SHOT at me? Forgive me if I'm a bit tense."

"Oh, is that so? Then how about a deal?" Xigbar smirked "Since I attacked you, you can attack me. I won't fight back."

"I doubt that!" Tenebrae rushed Xigbar and swung his Keyblade.

Xigbar vanished before he could land a hit. Tenebrae felt the shift in the air, magic like Rylan's. He followed the source and saw Xigbar near the end of Hill.

Tenebrae growled, before running after the Nobody. As soon as Tenebrae got close enough to strike, Xigbar would vanish. Tenebrae could feel the magic each time, but still tried.

Xigbar lead him into the tunnels. Tenebrae took the opportunity for what it was. He used his magic and tried to destroy Xigbar. Even his flames couldn't do much to the Sharpshooter.

"Aw, is someone getting angry?" Xigbar taunted him at the end of the tunnels. "To be fair, I didn't hit you. So why should you be able to?"

"Because you're annoying!" Tenebrae shouted. "What do you want from me?"

"Just wanted to test you." Xigbar smirked. "If this is the apex of you Wielders, I'm a little worried."

"I hate to admit it," Tenebrae said, "I'm not the strongest. There are others much stronger than I. I'm just finally catching up."

"Is that modesty?" Xigbar looked shock, but Tenebrae could tell it was faked. "I'm guessing you had some pretty interesting experiences."

Tenebrae pointed Kingdom Key D at the Nobody. "Watch yourself. I have no reservations about striking you down."

"Yeah right, as if!" Xigbar put his hands on his hips. "You aren't strong enough for that. I bet even our weakest member could take you."

"I doubt it," Tenebrae said, doing nothing but glare at Xigbar. The Nobody seemed to be playing with him. Whether it was intentional or not, pissed him off more.

"Still, I gotta say," Xigbar leaned on a wall. "You are definitely stronger than some Wielders I've met. At least your Heart is."

"It has to be," Tenebrae hissed. "Or I would be unfit to wield a Keyblade. Now enough games, what do you want? I know you aren't' worried about my health."

"Let's just say you are under observation. You may be recruited to our Organization." Xigbar's smile filled him with dread. "Who knows?"

"I'll pass." Tenebrae said, easing up only a little. "I don't care much for groups. So, leave me alone."

Xigbar stood up straight and wagged his finger. "See, that I can't do. If you interact with anyone of the Organization, we won't leave you alone. But you won't see us."

Xigbar disappeared in a plume of Darkness. All traces of his presence disappeared. That should have made Tenebrae feel better, but he was still on edge. He shook his head, as he dismissed his Keyblade and left the tunnel.

To his surprise, Tenebrae was in the Shopping District. He had been so focused on chasing Xigbar, that he wasn't focused on his location. Normally, he would be better about keeping track. But it didn't matter now, he was outside.

'Now that I think about it,' Tenebrae thought after he calmed down, 'I should let the Light Protectors know about tomorrow. I won't mention with who, but it would be better than a search party.'

Tenebrae walked through the District. It was late in the afternoon, so he had hoped the others would be home. As he walked through the district, he grabbed something quick to eat. He ate it as he went towards the complex. He did see Cetus tending her shop.

Tenebrae made it to the Light Protectors' apartment. He knocked on the door and waited. Rylan was the one to answer, a sucker in his hand as he smiled.

"Hey, wasn't expecting you to ss you today," the time-user said. "When you didn't show up this morning, Keval told us not to worry. But here you are."

"I thought it wouldn't be fair to not give a warning," Tenebrae said. "May I come in?"

Rylan opened the door and let him walk through. Solas was sleeping on one couch. Mojie and Ray were another couch, the young girl reading a book and the young boy was on a device. Keval was unaccounted for. Rylan went towards the kitchenette after closing the door.

"Where's Keval?" Tenebrae asked, genuinely confused.

"Out doing some training," Ray said, "He goes off sometimes after a mission. Usually it's either training or to visit Cetus."

"I see," Tenbrae said. He wanted all of them together, but he didn't want to stay long. "Then relay this to him. I will be meeting with my Partner for a mission. I just got into contact with them and I leave tomorrow. I don't know when I'll be back, but I'll check in when I do."

"But why leave?" Sols asked drowsily. It shocked Tenebrae as he looked at the sleeping Ursus.

"Even though he sleeps a lot," Mojie giggled, "Solas is very perceptive and alert. But that is a question I had. Why not introduce your friend to us. We can all do missions together."

"They are my Partner, like Keval is my Union mate," Tenebrae sighed, "And they are already a part of another… party. So, we have an agreement."

It wasn't wise to mention Organization XIII. And he was sure the last thing Shaylex would need would be anyone from the Unions after her. They didn't need to know just yet.

"That doesn't mean they can't work with us," Rylan said from the kitchenette. "Members of other parties did it for large scale missions. Maybe their entire Party can help us."

'Bad idea.' "I may bring it up," Tenebrae said. "But the point is, I will be away. And I want Keval to know that."

Rylan came out with a few pots of food. "Noted. We'll let him know. Be safe."

Tenebrae nodded. He said his goodbye and left the apartment. It wouldn't do for him to stay. It would be better for him to get an idea of the World he was going to.

Tenebrae left the complex and went back to the Shopping District. It was becoming evening, so he went to grab a quick dinner. It was a hearty meal and cheap. It filled him up and he was ready to go.

He made it to the tunnels. Tenebrae made sure none of the Protectors followed him. The last thing he wanted was a chance conflict between them and the Organization. Tenebrae opened a portal, hoping he had the right World on the other end. -

* * *

And there we are! A new World, a new mission, and more fun! If you can guess the movie used, or if you read Shaylex_Cosplay's story, A New Destiny, you win! But the next mission will be a multi-chapter endeavor. And will be directly tied to Shaylex's story.  
So be prepared for some fun next time!


	18. Marshes and Comrades

And here we go! New World, new mission!

And the reveal should have been obvious with the name, but there will be plenty of references.

And we get to see everyone's favorite blonde Nobody... Roxas! Oh wait no... It's Shaylex XD.

* * *

Tenebrae exited his portal and looked around. He seemed to have made it to a forest. There was a break close by and he was able to get a glimpse of some buildings. Most of them had lots of lights hanging.

It was dark, so the lights shone bright. There was also a lot of music playing. It seemed like there was a joyous occasion going on.

There was a lot Light in this World. But there was also Darkness. Luckily it looked like there was a balance, but it was almost tipped. Tenebrae could feel the presence of Heartless.

'I really hope this is the World,' Tenebrae thought as he approached the buildings. He noticed the buildings made a city. 'It is festive, like Corona was. There must be a celebration.'

Tenebrae decided to keep his features showing. Everyone around him didn't seem to bat an eye. They were all to happy with their festival. There were a few odd contraptions on the street, that seemed to be like carts.

'Music isn't all too bad. And everyone has a smile. I guess this place isn't too bad. But why would the Heartless be here?'

Tenebrae walked past a young woman with dark skin, hair and eyes. She had a strong Heart to her. There was a strong Light and determination. However, she looked physically tried, which he didn't comment on.

Tenebrae yawned. He hadn't realized how tired he was himself. He didn't know the area well enough and wasn't sure where he could rest. He went back to the forest he came from. He was able to find a sturdy tree to lean on as he fell asleep. -

It was the smell of food that woke Tenebrae up. That and the same music from last night. It looked like this place was always a party. It was an interesting way of waking up.

Tenebrae stretched and stood up. He was right about sleeping on the ground. He wasn't as sore as he normally was.

Tenebrae found a way into the city undetected. He entered through an alley. He saw people playing music and enjoying themselves. Tenebrae couldn't help but smile as he wandered the streets.

He made a stop at a food stall and got some food. When he pulled out his Munny, it was in a different shape. It looked to be made of paper and coins. Must have been to protect the World Order.

'I keep forgetting how strong the Keyblade magics were,' Tenebrae thought as he got his food. A taste of it had him waking up fully. It was spicy, but not overpowering. 'Wow! This is good! I should still be careful. I don't how this World is with Magic.'

Tenebrae felt a presence. It was Darkness, but it felt familiar. When it disappeared, he felt Shaylex's mana along with another. Tenebrae followed the signatures and came upon a diner, with a sign the read "Duke's".

'Guess I'm in the right World,' Tenebrae thought.

He leaned against a building across the street. He waited as Shaylex and her ally talked in the diner. He felt another presence, the strong hearted one from the other night.

'Could be a coincidence,' Tenebrae thought as he saw Shaylex leave, alone.

Shaylex said something back inside, before she chuckled.

When she got close enough, he said, "You picked a great place to do some Heartless hunting today."

Shaylex turned quickly and saw him. "Tenebrae! Glad to see you got my message."

Tenebrae pushed off the wall and approached her. "Yeah. Glad to see that they hadn't kept you cooped up for to long." He punched her arm lightly, to show he was joking.

"Oh, trust me, I was starting to go crazy in there," she chuckled. "I'm excited to see some action today."

"yeah?" he chuckled. He realized she left her ally as he looked around. "Where's what's-his-name? The red-haired guy who relayed the message to me?"

"Oh Axel? He's on a different mission. Working with our newest member."

"Newest member?" 'With a name like Organization XIII, you would think they had all their members already. Oh well.'

Shaylex seemed upset. She quickly said, "Yeah, I'd rather not talk about it."

'And there went her walls. It is smart not to prod now.'

"Fair enough," he said, putting his hands in his jacket pockets. "So where are we heading?"

"To the bayou," Shaylex started to explain. "That's where the Heartless are at their strongest." She pointed towards the forest where he came from. He guessed that was the bayou, since he did feel the Darkness there. "Demyx is staying in town."

"Demyx?" Tenebrae looked at her with a raised eyebrow. That was a new name.

"Oh, another member. He's a coward. He doesn't like to fight much. Which is good for me."

Shaylex started to head towards the bayou. Tenebrae behind her.

Tenebrae chuckled, "Yeah I bet." It was nice to not have to hold back his emotion.

Shaylex nodded and smiled. "Yeah. He's going to do some recon in town, and I'm going to the bayou to take care of the Heartless."

Splitting jobs that worked to their strengths. That was a smart plan.

"Sounds great. Lead the way," he said. As he followed Shaylex, he couldn't shake the feeling of an unfamiliar Darkness. But he thought nothing of it.

As the pair progressed, the change from city to marsh was drastic. You wouldn't have thought such a large uncharted area would be so close to civilization. That didn't matter much when the Heartless appeared.

Tenebrae and Shaylex stood back to back, as the Heartless surrounded them. They summoned their Keyblades and got ready to fight. Tenebrae had an interesting idea.

"How many do you think you could take out?" He asked Shaylex with a chuckle.

He saw Shaylex smile. "I'd say more than you."

"Is that a bet?" His spirit of competition sparked.

"If you want it to be," Shaylex had a smirk. Looks like it was a game.

"You're on!" Tenebrae rushed the heartless in front of him. He cut through a few before he noticed Shaylex had joined the fray.

The pair took their time with the swarm. Tenebrae tried to put what he learned the last week to the test. He noticed Shaylex had gotten stronger too. Her Wind magic seemed to have gotten stronger. Or at least, her skills with it.

He cut through the last Heartless and grinned. As he caught his breath, he asked, "So? How many did you get?"

He felt like he did well, until Shaylex spoke. "I'd say I got at least 40."

Tenebrae's smirk fell before he spoke. "Damn it, I got 39."

Shaylex smiled and jumped up in joy. "Ha! I told you I could!" When she calmed down a bit, she got slightly serious. "Hey, seeing as we have some time to kill, I want to ask you something."

Tenebrae was a little surprised. He dismissed his Keyblade. "Okay, shoot."

"You said, when we first met, that you were a part of a Union, and that all Keyblade Wielders fought in a war many years ago?" Shaylex asked.

"Yeah?" Tenebrae responded. It was what they talked about when they met. It shouldn't be odd that it was on her mind still.

Shaylex continued her thought. "You said that I could potentially be from that time, because of that friend I ran into the night I met you."

Tenebrae nodded to her inquiry. Seeing how this would be a lengthy talk, he found a tree and leaned against it. "Yeah, I remember. Why do you ask?"

"Well last night, I had a dream. Or it could have been a nightmare. I'm not sure." Shaylex looked up at the sky, reminiscing. "But it felt so real, like a memory."

'I have all of my memories, so I wouldn't know how she feels,' Tenebrae thought. 'But maybe it is a memory.'

"A dream that feels like a memory?" Tenebrae asked. "Why don't you tell me about this dream?"

Shaylex started to explain her dream. She explained a wasteland full of Keyblades. Which sounded like the Keyblade Graveyard. She had approached a Keyblade that was familiar to her. She then explained how she saw a figure carry off a girl, who happened to like her. And the figure going through a corridor.

Tenebrae listened until she was done. "Hmm, that does sound like a memory. You were probably at the Keyblade Graveyard. That was the World where the War took place. And that Keyblade you felt familiar presence with, it was probably your Keyblade from before the War." Too many things matched from the Unions, and what he knew. But there was one thing that was odd. "That figure probably saved your life. It looks like you fell during the war… A lot of people did."

Tenebrae clutched his chest as he thought of Laci. She was the only one that he knew fell. Or at least her Light did.

"You were close to someone during that period?" Shaylex's question drew him back.

"Yeah." But there was something nagging at him though. Tenebrae needed to know who she spoke to. "I've been meaning to ask actually. Who was this friend that you ran into that night, from your past? What was their name?"

Shaylex didn't seem disturbed to answer. "Oh, his name was Keval."

The name was not one he expected. It shocked him so much, he pushed off the tree and nearly screamed. "Wait!? Keval!? You were friends with him?"

Tenebrae had overheard him talking about an old friend he found. Of course, the name he mentioned was Ash. If that was a nickname, he doubted it was short for Shaylex.

"You know him then?" the Nobody asked.

Tenebrae tried to get over his shock. But adding Keval's negligence, didn't help quell his fury. "We were in the same Union. He was such a brash individual. Very goal driven. We were kind of like rivals growing up, before I left."

Shaylex looked at the ground, her hand clutching a silver pendant on a necklace she wore. "He seemed that way."

Tenebrae saw how she felt. He knew he shouldn't, but it was probably best the two met again. "Well I can say this about Keval. He has a lot of dreams. And once he has a goal set, he will stick to it until it is achieved." Keval HAD been talking to Cetus regularly, to try and spark her memories. "Try and find him. Maybe he can tell you more about your past."

Tenebrae leaned against his tree. He finally had regained some control over his emotions as Shaylex spoke again.

"Possibly. But how do I know those memories are true?" she asked, looking a bit worried. "He could tell me all sorts of things. How can I tell if they are correct?"

That answer was both simple and complicated. Tenebrae crossed his arms, as he thought how to word his answer. "Well, I guess you'll have to find out and see. I think, once you hear something like a memory, you can tell if it's real or not."

"That's true," Shaylex said. She looked at the path ahead of them. "Shall we continue?"

Tenebrae nodded and stood up. The two Wielders walked down the path, deeper into the bayou. It wasn't long before they came a fork in the path.

This was Shaylex's mission. Which meant she was in charge.

"What do you suggest we do?" he asked her.

"Split up. We can cover more ground and we will meet back up here in about an hour," Shaylex suggested.

Tenebrae nodded. He headed to the path to the left. It took some time and searching before he came across any Heartless. He took his time taking them down. He had some time and wanted to enjoy himself.

As he fought, he let his mind wander. 'Was it right for Shaylex and Keval to meet? I also need to find out who Ash is. Keval mentioned the name, shortly after his meeting with Shaylex. I'd rather not get more involved then I should.'

Tenebrae went only so far into the marsh. He traveled for about 45 minutes be fore turning around. He struck down any Heartless that came his way. The Darkness of the World was stable, but it did seem to have a strong presence. Hopefully, he could figure out how to reduce it.

Tenebrae made it back to the fork in the road in decent time. It looked like he was the first one to make it back. At least he hoped he made it first. His sense of time could have been a bit out of sync, from spending so long in the Realm of Darkness. He decided to wait a bit longer before heading back to the diner.

Tenebrae stood in the path for an extra 15 minutes. Shaylex may have made it first and went on ahead. Tenebrae decided to head back and meet up with her. It wasn't long before he broke the tree line and made it back to the city.

It was late afternoon, when he made it back to the diner. He didn't see Shaylex outside as he walked. He entered the diner, hoping to see a familiar black coat. He did, but it didn't belong to his Partner.

Sitting in a booth, was a blonde-haired young man. He was strumming on a large blue sitar. He had a bit of a punk rock hair style, with his sides shaved and the rest was up. Tenebrae noticed the sitar had the shape of the Nobody symbol.

Tenebrae walked up to the sitar-player, and asked, "Are you Demyx?"

The blonde looked up at him and nodded. "That's me. What can I do for you buddy?" His voice was laid back. It almost pissed Tenebrae off.

"You work with Shyalex?" Tenebrae sat down in front of the Nobody. "I'm her Partner, Tenebrae. I agreed to help her with her collections."

"Oh yeah, I remember something like that," Demyx said. "Well hey, someone interested in fighting makes it easier for me. I'm not much of a fighter."

'I could tell,' Tenebrae thought as he watched the Nobody. He was used to everyone WANTING to go out and fight. 'But this guy is too lazy for his own good.'

"Well hey," Deymx said with a lazy grin, "Why not sit back and relax? Shaylex shouldn't be much longer."

Tenebrae was worried. But there wasn't anything else he could do but wait. So, he relaxed in his chair, and watched the crowd in the diner.

Tenebrae noticed the waitress. She was the same one he noticed when he first came to the World. She had a strong Heart, and Light. If he didn't know better, he would have considered her a Princess of Heart.

The Light was stronger now. The waitress was excited about something. She was practically shining as she worked. She was having fun in the kitchen.

"Someone is in a good mood," Demyx called out. "Did I miss something, Tiana?"

"You wouldn't believe it Demy!" Tiana said with a smile. She failed to notice Demyx blush at the nickname. "I finally have enough money to start my dream. Soon, I'll have a restaurant of my own, just like my daddy wanted."

"Hey that's great," Demyx smiled. "Good for you."

"Thanks sugar," Tiana said. She seemed to finally notice Tenebrae. "Oh sorry, I didn't see you there. I'm Tiana, is there anything you need?"

Tenebrae shook his head. "No thank you. My name is Tenebrae. I'm just waiting for a mutual colleague with… Demyx here. His ally, Shaylex."

"Oh Shay! She's a lovely girl." Tiana had the same bright smile. "I'm surprised I didn't see her when Demy came back."

"Well maybe she is still out?" Demyx chimed in. "It is getting late."

"And that is worrying me," Tenebrae said getting up. He grabbed Demyx by the collar and hauled him up. "You're her teammate, you should be helping. Excuse me Miss Tiana, I need to borrow this idiot."

Tiana giggled at the antics. "Well I don't mind. Hopefully, the next time we meet, it'll be in my new restaurant."

Tenebrae nodded as he dragged the Nobody out the diner. "It's getting late and Shaylex had yet to check in. Shouldn't you have looked for her?"

Demyx put up very little struggle. "And what could I do, man? You two are the fighters. Going to look for her is suicide."

Tenebrae growled as he dragged Demyx into the forest. "Then I guess we'll both end up dead before we find her." -

* * *

And here we go with this chapter. For those who haven't seen the movie, this World is based off the Princess and the Frog. The next few chapters will be loosely based off the movie, so expect alot of lines from it.

If you have read Shaylex_Cosplay's story, A New Destiny, then this will be a different perspective. But we will be in this World for a few chapters, and see what Tenebrae learns.

Until then, see you all in the next chapter!


	19. Shadows and Concern

And here we are with the next chapter. Last one technically had a cliff hanger, but not a suspenseful one.  
Expect a bit more of a light-hearted chapter... PFFFT I couldn't keep a straight face XD. But seriously enjoy!

* * *

Dragging along Demyx, Tenebrae made it to the fork int the road, a little after the sun had set. The blonde Nobody did nothing but moan and complain. It was almost like he was allergic to hard work. Tenebrae had to resist his urge to strike the Sitar-wielder down.

"We're going this way," Tenebrae pointed to the right-hand path. "Shaylex headed this way when we split. She can't be too far ahead."

"Can't we rest?" Demyx whined. "We have been walking for a while, and I did a lot of recon earlier."

Tenebrae growled. "YOU can rest. I'm going to look for my Partner. Have fun with the Heartless."

Demyx got visibly scared. "On second thought, once we find Shaylex, everything should be fine. Lead the way."

Tenebrae rolled his eyes and started down the path. Demyx wasn't too far behind. They walked for a few minutes before Tenebrae saw Shaylex surrounded by Heartless.

"Get away from her!" Tenebrae summoned Kingdom Key D and rushed ahead. He was so focused, he failed to notice the ones that appeared behind him.

Tenebrae used only his Keyblade. He didn't want to risk hurting Shaylex. It took him longer, since he wanted to get the Heartless away from her, before striking them down. Only when the last Heartless was gone, did Tenebrae relax.

He ran up to Shaylex's body and pulled her onto his lap. She was still breathing, which was good. He started to shake her gently, to wake her up. When she didn't, he shook her a little harder.

"Shaylex! Shaylex! Wake up!" he called out.

When she started to stir, he laid her back down and knelt next to her. She opened her eyes slowly. When they opened all the way, that was when he let out a breath of relief.

"Shaylex!"

She sat up slowly and rubbed her head. She looked around, a little confused. "Tenebrae, how long was I out?"

Tenebrae helped Shaylex sit up. It looked like she was still groggy. "I don't know," he said, "I found you about 15 minutes ago. I've been trying to wake you up since."

"I must have fallen and hit my head," Shaylex looked up to the sky. "It's gotten darker."

Tenebrae examined her quickly. There were no visible marks or bruises. And no cut or blood to suggest she hit her head. He turned his attention to the sky before speaking, "Yeah, it's pretty much nighttime."

Demyx's voice broke the moment as he leaned against a tree, strumming his sitar. "Is she awake yet? I'm tired and want to go home!"

After all that happened, those words made Tenebrae snap. "Can't you see she's weak, asshole!?"

The Nobody responded in kind. "Hey! Don't call me an asshole!"

Tenebrae stood and walked towards Demyx. His mind had one thought; Destroy the Nobody. "I'll call you whatever I want, dumbass!" he shouted, "You haven't helped out at all today!"

"Guys! Will you please shut up!" Shaylex's voice snapped Tenebrae out of his bloodlust.

He looked over to her and saw Shaylex rubbing her temples. Tenebrae felt bad. The last thing he wanted was for Shaylex to suffer because of him.

"Sorry," Tenebrae said, walking to Shaylex and holding out his hand for her. "You had me worried there."

"I'm fine." Shaylex took his hand and used his help to stand. Even when she stumbled, she still smiled and said, "See? I'm okay. Besides, we have a mission to complete." She looked well enough to continue.

"Oh no. We need to return to the Castle," Demyx said, his sitar vanished before he walked to Shaylex. "Like we should have done ages ago."

"Wait, what time is it?" Shaylex asked.

Tenebrae spoke up. "It's almost 7 pm."

Shaylex looked shocked. "Wait really!?"

"Yeah. We need to go, Shaylex," Demyx said, looping an arm around Shaylex's and dragging her away. "We'll be coming back tomorrow. I already got the message from Saix."

"Ouch, Demyx. I can walk on my own." Shaylex got out of Demyx's grip, before facing Tenebrae. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"You got it," Tenebrae said. "Take care oaky?"

"I will," Shaylex responded. She and Demyx stepped through a corridor the other blonde made.

When the corridor closed, Tenebrae turned back towards the town. As he walked, his mind started to wander.

'Shaylex and I split up, and I find her again but unconscious. Add the fact that she said she hit her head was weird. An injury like that would have one out for a few minutes. Not hours. What is going on?'

Tenebrae made it back to the fork in the road. He thought about heading back to town. But he felt something odd further in. Against his better judgement, he proceeded deeper into the forest. He kept going, even when it turned into a marsh. There was enough land for him to travel without worry.

Tenebrae followed the odd feeling from earlier. He traveled for about an hour since Shaylex left. He didn't encounter any Heartless as he came across an interesting sight. In the middle of some water, there was a shipwrecked boat at the top of a tree. There was light coming from it, making it look like someone lived there.

Tenebrae noticed a staircase and took it up the tree. As he got closer to the boat, the odd feeling increased. But the feeling seemed to be akin to magic. It wasn't Darkness, but it wasn't fully Light either. And the source surprised him even more.

When Tenebrae came to a door in the boat, an elderly woman opened it before he could knock. She was dressed in all white, with a golden necklace, a pair of golden loop earrings and a golden bracelet. She also had on some dark sunglasses.

"See Juju, I told you we would get a delivery!" she laughed. Her voice was upbeat and had a bit of soul to it. "Well, do you have what I need for my gumbo?"

"I'm sorry?" Tenebrae was genuinely confused. "I have no idea what you are talking about. Or who you even are. My name is…"

"Come on, come on," the woman said as she walked inside. She ignored Tenebrae altogether. "Mama Odie ain't gonna wait all day! We got gumbo to make."

Tenebrae entered Mama Odie's 'home'. There was a tub filed with a brown liquid, over a fire. The little abode had many lights and trinkets to give it charm. But not enough to make on forget it was a rundown old boat.

"Listen, Mama Odie, was it?" Tenebrae sighed. "I don't have a delivery. My name is…"

Tenebrae heard snoring. He looked over and saw Mama Odie sleeping in a lounge chair. He felt his eye twitch. He wasn't even sure what was going on.

Tenebrae approached her silently. He had no reason to stay, but this old woman was interesting. He sensed a powerful Light, but it wasn't pure. The magic was almost balanced, but there was more Light than Darkness.

"Juju!" Mama Odie shot up, causing Tenebrae to fall back and smack his head. "Did you bring a drink for the delivery boy?"

Tenebrae had little time to process what happened. A yellow snake came up to Tenebrae and dropped a cup in his hand. Tenebrae sat up and looked at the contents. There was nothing odd about it, so he took a sip. It was a very sweet drink, with a hint of cinnamon to it.

"Well well, young man," Mama Odie laughed, "Why do you rely on the shadows? They only bring pain to the ones who use them."

Tenebrae choked on his drink. He wasn't ABLE to say anything about himself. But this woman knew about his abilities. She also seemed to know what the Darkness did and could do. What was she?

"I seek knowledge," Tenebrae answered. "But many misunderstand what the Darkness can do. I'm going to prove it isn't as bad as everyone makes it."

"Well that's an interesting view, but it's still the wrong view," Mama Odie said. "You ain't looking deep enough for your answer. You can feel it, can't ya. The pressure from rejecting it?"

Tenebrae tried to restrain his shock. How could that woman know!? He had felt his Light grow, yes, and it did feel like he couldn't breathe occasionally. But that didn't mean he was rejecting it. He just used Light a lot more before he could access the Darkness. He needed more time before he could find a balance.

"I have no idea what you mean," Tenebrae finally said. "I command my powers well. I don't need to dig; I just need to train and study."

He looked at Mama Odie, and she was… ASLEEP!? Tenebrae gripped his cup but held back enough so he didn't break it. How could she fall asleep mid-conversation? One that she started.

Tenebrae sighed and put down his cup. He stood up and made for the door. This woman didn't have anything for him and seemed to be off her rocker. He was about to leave when Mama Odie spoke again.

"You won't be able to control the shadows; they'll just consume you. If you don't dig a little deeper, and find what you need, that's what will happen." Even with the severity of the talk, she sounded jovial. "But I know two lovely young ladies and a strapping young man who can help you find what you need."

Tenebrae stopped at the door. He sparred a glance back and saw Mama Odie still asleep. It was weird, but Tenebrae had a feeling her words were true. He turned away, before gripping his chest. His Light was reacting to the elder, but also something else, somewhere far.

Tenebrae exited the boat. He descended the staircase and made his return trip to the town. His mind was swimming with the information he just received. Mama Odie's riddle was both helpful and confusing. But there was a fact in her riddles; the Light was hurting him.

After reconnecting with Keval, Tenebrae felt his Light grow. And after interacting with Shaylex, even if it seemed forced, her positivity helped to remind him of the Light. After so long in the Realm of Darkness, Tenebrae thought he needed a change. But there were too many times where he isolated himself from the Light.

Tenebrae made it back to the town. As it was the night before, the lights were shining, and the music was amazing. He found a flyer that mentioned a masquerade party. He looked around and found the address.

Tenebrae could see many people dancing and having fun. The people were dressed up in costumes. He noticed a woman in a pink dress dancing with a man, that looked like a prince.

'Well that looks like a fairytale ending,' Tenebrae thought as he laughed to himself. 'I wonder if…'

His thoughts were cut off as he heard a commotion. Tenebrae ducked low and darted away. He wasn't sure if he had been spotted, but he needed to get away while he could.

It was probably a good time to find a place to sleep. After the events of the day, and the commotion just now, he needed to rest. He went to the woods, making sure to be near the café. He found a spot and got comfortable. He fell asleep quickly. -

* * *

Do I every mention how bad I feel for my OC sometimes? No? Because I kinda don't XD!  
This chapter was meant to be a lot longer, but I realized i wouldn't break pacing if I split them. And this one had a more light-hearted/comedic feel to it. Of course that doesn't do away with the angst BWAHAHAHA!


	20. Deals and Frogs

Hey everyone! Things are starting to pick up for this mission. And we should be following a bit of the movie plot again.  
Enjoy!

* * *

Tenebrae woke up the next day and stretched. It was early morning, and Tenebrae needed to meet Shaylex and Demyx. He entered the city and went to the café.

Tenebrae made it to the café, and something felt off. He entered the café. While there weren't a lot of people, it felt busy. The owner looked upset and overwhelmed. Tenebrae snuck in and sat at a booth. It looked like it would be best for him to lay low.

Tenebrae watched as the owner was doing everything himself. He was cooking and serving the customers. This went on for about an hour before Tenebrae heard Demyx.

"Hey Duke! No Tiana today?"

The cook, Duke, scoffed. "Nah, she quit. Miss Charlotte La Bouff gave her enough money to buy her restaurant." That explained the young woman's excitement yesterday. "Although, she said she would come in and help today. But she never showed up. Hey, how about letting me borrow your lady friend? Just for a couple of hours until the rush hour dies down?"

Tenebrae couldn't let that happen. Shaylex actually DID her work, apparently.

"Shay has some important business here in town today," He said as he stood up. He saw the cook and the two Nobodies. He walked up to the trio. "And besides, she's far too important to be a waitress."

Shaylex smiled. There was a mischievous glint to her eyes. "But my friend Demy here loves hard work. He's the perfect candidate for your little diner."

Demyx must have caught on because he seemed startled by the suggestion. "No. No. No. I've got important things to do today too! Nope! Can't do it!"

Tenebrae walked past the stammering blonde and pushed him inside. He thought it good payback for his lack of motivation last night. Demyx was immediately handed an apron.

"Sorry Demyx, but Tenebrae and I have an important mission. Or did you forget? Have fun." Shaylex giggled as the pair left. She smiled a bit as they did. "He's going to have lots of fun. But I wonder why Tiana didn't turn up for work?"

The Nobody adopted a thinking pose as they walked. There were very few reasons and, according to Duke, Tiana had given her word.

"Maybe she's sick?" Tenebrae offered.

Shaylex shook her head. "No, Tiana's too strong to get sick so easily. And from the way Duke was talking, she would always be there to help out. Something's happened!" Shaylex had a look of determination as she stopped walking. "I say we go to the La Bouff household and ask around. That's where Tiana was seen last."

This was Shaylex's mission. And the name La Bouff sound like the one from the flyer he found. They hosted the party yesterday.

"Good idea. I think the house is that way." He pointed to an area deeper into the city, away from the forest.

Shaylex nodded and the pair walked towards the house. There were so many lights on last night, Tenebrae hadn't noticed how the economy changed. They headed towards what looked like upper-class estates. And he recognized the one from the party, as it was the largest among them. The La Bouff family had to have been extraordinarily rich.

The two made it to the front gates, where a butler was waiting. He looked at the two and asked, "Can I help you today?" His tone made him sound either bored or elitist.

Shaylex took point and spoke politely. "We would like to speak with Miss Charlotte La Bouuf, please. It's important."

The butler just looked at them and glared. "I'm sorry, but Madame La Bouff is terribly busy and will not be seeing anyone today. Now I suggest you leave this place alone. We don't need beggars at our doorsteps."

It was the last comment that pissed Tenebrae off. It was fine being asked to leave. But he couldn't take the beggar comment lying down. He took a step forward, before Shaylex grabbed his arm.

She still spoke politely when she said, "Of course. Thank you for your time." She pulled the Seeker away and down the street.

Tenebrae growled a bit. "Shaylex. Why didn't you let me beat that guy up?"

"Because we are here on a mission. And besides…" She chided him before looking over his shoulder. She grabbed his arm again and lead him around the house and towards it's back. "We have another way in."

The pair was surrounded by Darkness before appearing in a garden. Shaylex had teleported the pair to just beyond the fence of their last location. It was a clever plan.

"Great idea." Tenebrae couldn't help but chuckle at the simplicity. "So, where would Miss Charlotte La Bouff be?"

A female squeal was heard by the pair and approaching them. A young woman then shouted, "We're gonna have ourselves a Mardi Gras wedding!"

The pair exchanged a smile. Shaylex said, "That's her."

A young blonde woman came walking to the pair. It looked like she didn't see them yet. But Tenebrae recognized her as the one who danced with the man dressed as a prince. When she finally noticed the pair, her happiness turned to shock.

Tenebrae realized what was about to happen. He boosted his speed to cover the distance and reach Charlotte. He covered her mouth just as she was about to scream.

Shaylex wasn't too far behind. "Charlotte. We mean you no harm. We're friends of Tiana."

Charlotte's eyes shined when the name was uttered. Tenebrae let her go and took a step away. It looked like she wasn't going to raise alarm.

"Well why didn't you say so in the first place?" Charlotte asked with a giggle. She glanced at Tenebrae then back at Shaylex. "So, what can I do for you and your 'friend' here, Sugar?"

Tenebrae didn't like the emphasis Charlotte put on the "friend". When Shaylex chuckled, he scoffed and looked away. A small part of his pride took a hit.

"Oh, were just colleagues, nothing more. Anyway, we are looking for Tiana," she explained. "She didn't show up for her shift at Duke's thing morning, and Duke asked us to come look for her. According to him, she was here last night."

"That's right dear. She brought he delicious tasting beignets for Prince Naveen to try," Charlotte was all smiles. At least until she continued explaining. "But something happened, and her stall got knocked over. I let her borrow one of my dresses and then I went back to the party. I haven't seen her since. I thought she was behind me, but she wasn't. She did seem pretty down about something. The realtors, who she was buying the sugar mill from, were at the party last night. Perhaps you should try talking to them?"

Shaylex nodded, "We will. Could you tell us who and where they are?"

Charlotte had a smile on her face again. "The Fenner Brothers. Just down on Main Street. You can't miss it!"

Saylex smiled back, before bowing and grabbing Tenebrae again. "Thank you, Charlotte. And congrats on your upcoming wedding!" She took him around the corner out of sight and teleported the pair into a forested area, on the other side of the fence. She dusted her hands, "See, easy as pie. Now let's go and see these Fenner Brothers."

Tenebrae nodded. Before they could make any progress, a wave of Heartless appeared. The pair summoned their Keyblades and jumped into the fray.

Shaylex made the first move. She casted a high-level wind spell, it looked like an Aeroga. Tenebrae saw the Heartless get trapped into the vortex and had an idea. He useda fire spell and had it mix with the wind. The Heartless in the spell were destroyed instantly.

The Wielders rushed the remaining Heartless. They made quick work of the stragglers. They were breathing hard when they finished up.

Shaylex and Tenebrae dismissed their Keyblades when they were rested. The pair walked down the road until they made it to the Fenner Brothers' "office". The room they were at had little more than the desk and a plant. There were two gentlemen at the desk, signing papers.

When the Wielders entered, the two men looked at them and smiled. The tall, thin gentleman spoke first. "Greetings to you two. Are you looking to purchase a property today?"

Shaylex approached the desk. "We would like to enquire about one of your most recent buyers, Tiana."

The shorter fatter of the two gentlemen spoke next. "Oh, Tiana, the poor girl. She wanted the old sugar mill for ages. But she was outbid last night before we had a chance to sign the papers. Such a shame."

Tenebrae crossed his arms in thought. "Why did she want the old mill?" It didn't make sense since she wanted to open a restaurant.

The taller brother spoke again, "She was hoping to open her restaurant. But to run it all by herself wasn't going to be easy. Especially with her background." He started to sift through some papers as he continued explaining, "And, luckily for her, she won't have to deal with that. Someone came in shortly afterward that same day, cash in hand, and bought it."

That didn't sit well with Tenebrae. It was one thing to have them bid. But it was another to promise something and take it away. His anger rose as he walked up to the desk.

"So, you allowed someone else to buy it? Even though she technically purchased it first and you met with her?" Tenebrae slammed his hands on the desk as his voice rose. "You were going to sign the place over to her!"

The smaller brother responded, "Yes, but we are a business young man. If someone out bids the original offer, and the other person can't come up with a higher bid in three days, they lose the property."

Tenebrae's anger rose even more with that bullshit explanation. He started to grip the desk as he started to shout. "To hell with business! Have you no sense!? It's pretty obvious that girl spent her entire life to make a dream come true, and you've crushed it to dust. Did you see her last night?"

The taller brother had the gall to look upset. He then explained, "Why yes we did. At Miss La Bouff's party. Although after we told her she lost the mill, we didn't see her again. She disappeared into the house with Madam Charlotte and never came out. She probably snuck out around back to hide her shame. Poor girl."

"Although. There was that rather odd commotion, where two frogs jumped out a window and headed towards the Bayou on a balloon," The shorter brother explained, "The dog was about to jump up and stop them, when it just stopped dead. As if the frog communicated with the dog, which is impossible."

The two brothers then started to laugh. They seemed to find the idea funny. But Tenebrae's thoughts couldn't register more than what they said about Tiana.

He snapped out of his anger when he felt Shaylex grab his arms. She pulled him out of the office as the two brothers kept laughing. His anger didn't go away completely, but there was nothing else he could do.

"So now what?" Tenebrae asked, containing a growl.

"Maybe we should head to the Bayou. We still need to be collecting Heartless, remember?" Shaylex suggested, "Saix would have a fit if I didn't meet the quota today."

That was what they were here to do, so Tenebrae just shrugged. "Fair enough. Let's go."

Shaylex led the way as the two walked towards the bayou. Tenebrae needed to get his emotions under control. But he couldn't get those men's insults out of his head.

"You seemed pretty defensive for Tiana back there," Shaylex mentioned as they walked.

Had he been? He looked up at the sky as they walked. He hated people exactly like those Brothers.

Crossing his arms, he said, "Yeah, well I hate people who like to crush the dreams of others. Especially, since they've worked so hard to try and achieve that."

His mind wandered back to when Master Ira punished him, for sating his curiosity. And belittling him for his research.

Shaylex looked his way as they walked. She asked, "I take it you had a dream once?"

Any dream he had, was now his waking nightmare. "Yeah, maybe, still trying to figure out." He didn't have much he could say, so he passed it off. "You?"

"I'm not sure. If I had one years ago, then I don't remember it," Shaylex answered. "But for now, my dream is to get my heart back and remember my past."

"Sounds like a good dream to aspire to." Tenebrae was grateful for Shaylex's positivity. It was what he needed right now.

The pair walked deep into the bayou, following the route they took before. When they came to the same fork as before, they agreed to head down Shaylex's path. They decided to stay together to get more work done. A small wave of Heartless appeared, that they made short work of.

After about an hour of walking and fighting, Shaylex mentioned her quota was filled. Even though they finished, Shaylex suggested they keep going. They made it to the spot she collapsed, and Tenebrae could tell she was worried about something. They decided to press on, with Shaylex claiming to feel a powerful Darkness nearby. Tenebrae felt it too.

The pair continued into the bayou. Any more Heartless they encountered were quickly struck down. When they cleared a wave, they heard a scream.

That spurred the two Wielders to action. They ran deeper into the bayou, coming across a swamp and an interesting sight.

Two frogs seemed to have wrapped themselves up in their tongues. How… he wasn't sure. There was also a firefly hovering around and buzzing at them. The firefly dove into the tangled mess of frog and came out with part of a tongue. It pulled on the tongue and the two frogs unraveled. The firefly then wrote the name "Raymond" int the air with its light. And all of that wasn't even the weirdest to happen.

"Pardon me, but your accent? It's funny, no?" The voice sounded male, and came from the frog?

Tenebrae was genuinely freaked out. That was impossible, at least it had to have been for this world. He noticed Shaylex look his way, just as shocked.

The other frog, which seemed to have a more feminine voice, explained an unheard question. She mentioned how the male messed with some strange voodoo magic.

Shaylex had a look of recognition, before getting closer. "Tiana?" she asked softly.

The three creatures jumped a bit. The female frog, Tenebrae did recognize her voice as Tiana's now, looked at Shaylex. She looked happy to see the blonde Nobody.

"Shay? Is that you?" Tiana gasped, "How did you know it was me?" She hopped towards Shaylex.

Tenebrae took his time to walk closer. Shaylex kneeled down to be closer to Tiana.

"I recognized your voice," Shaylex answered, "What happened to you, Tiana?"

"Well, Prince Naveen here made a deal with the Shadow Man, and got turned into a frog," Tiana explained. She pointed to the other frog, "I then kissed him, thinking it would break the spell, but I wound up as a frog too. And we're on our way to Mama Odie's to see if she can break the spell."

'Oh great,' Tenebrae thought, 'They are going to visit that crazy old broad. But wait a sec…'

"Wait? Shadow Man?" he asked.

"Dr. Facilier was his name, I believe," Naveen said.

The name had no meaning to him. But a quick glance at Shaylex said she knew something. And judging by her shock, it wasn't anything good.

Tenebrae watched the firefly buzz around Tiana and Naveen. Whatever it was saying, the two frogs could hear. But why couldn't the two Wielders hear it, if Shaylex's confusion matched his. His thoughts went to the back of his mind as his instincts kicked in. A large alligator came out of the brush, waving a stick. Both Wielders jumped back to keep some distance. They were slightly scared by the sudden appearance.

Tiana seemed upset though and crossed her arms. "Louis? Ray here says that you've been taking us in the wrong direction."

The alligator, Louis, started talking. At least, the movements Louis made could have been showing a conversation. And Tiana's frown made it look like the gator was making excuses.

When some Heartless showed up, Tenebrae was slightly relieved. The two Wielders summoned their weapons and prepared for battle.

"Get out of here, you guys!" Tenebrae called to the creatures. "We'll hold them off."

Shaylex smiled back at the creatures. "Go Tiana, Naveen. Find Mama Odie and be safe. The bayou is probably crawling with Heartless."

Tiana and Naveen nodded. They hopped onto Louis's back and the gator took off. Ray followed them into the Bayou.

Tenebrae and Shaylex made quick work of the Heartless. Since there was nothing to protect, they were done in a few minutes.

"You think they got away?" Shaylex asked when they finished.

Tenebrae chuckled. "I think so that gator sure looked scared."

Shaylex giggled. She then put a hand to her chin as she spoke, "Isn't it weird we could understand Tiana and Naveen, but not the others?"

Each World had its own rules on magic. Tenebrae tilted his head as he thought out loud. "I guess. But maybe because Tiana and Naveen were human before their business with the Shadow Man." He crossed his arms and leaned on a tree, focusing on Shaylex. "Speaking of business, you knew his name the minute Naveen said it, Shaylex. I saw your face."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Her answer was quick enough. She was hiding something again.

Tenebrae stood up and walked up to her. "Shaylex. I may not have known you for long, but I can tell when something is bothering you. You met him yesterday, didn't you? This Facilier?"

Shaylex was still guarded, but her sigh showed she would talk. She crossed her arms and answered him, "Yes I did, Tenebrae. He said he wanted to keep the Heartless from destroying this World. And if I managed to help get rid of the big, dark presence here, he would give me back my memories." She looked up to the sky.

'Give back her memories!?' Tenebrae thought. 'That should be impossible!'

"And you agreed to that!?" he yelled.

Shaylex looked at him with a serious expression. "Well, he showed me a memory, and it felt familiar. So yes, I accepted. But after that, I blacked out, and when I woke up, I had this same thought not to trust him. I don't know where it came from."

At least she was being open about the encounter. What worried him was the blackout. He must have found her sometime after that. And that feeling she had…

"Well, it's probably your subconscious telling you the truth," he said. "Chances are this man cannot be trusted."

Shaylex nodded. "I understand that now. Look, it's getting late and we need to get back to town. Demyx is probably waiting for me."

"You go on," he said, turning away. "I'm going to stay for a while. Do some training. I'll see you tomorrow, Shaylex."

It was soft, but he heard her say, "Don't do anything stupid, Tenebrae. I'm warning you."

He turned to her and smiled. "I won't. Don't worry."

She smiled back, before saying, "Well then, see you tomorrow." A corridor appeared surrounding the Nobody, teleporting her away.

"I guess I should do some recon," Tenebrae said, "Or at least check on the others heading to Mama Odie. Can that crazy woman really turn them back to human?"

Tenebrae went back into the marsh. He had memorized the location, and, within half an hour, he made it back to the boat. He noticed it was glowing much more than the last time. And there was music coming from it?

Tenebrae ascended the stair. It sounded like Mama Odie was singing along with some of the animals close by. It sounded like the song was designed to have Tiana and Naveen to figure out what they needed deep down.

When the song ended, Mama Odie seemed worried. Guess it didn't do as she planned. She took the two frogs to her tub of gumbo. He wasn't sure what they saw, but it seemed like it was the answer they wanted.

When Tenebrae saw them walk to the door, he jumped up to get out of the way. Mama Odie pushed out Louis and the animals departed. They went down into the marsh and out of sight.

Tenebrae jumped down and entered Mama Odie's home. "I guess you are able to help people."

"Mama Odie does her best," the old woman laughed. "And it's up to the children to find what they really need. Which remind me, did you figure out what you need?"

Tenebrae looked away embarrassed. "No. Only because I have to talk with the other two you mentioned. But I see what you meant. I saw the Darkness here and what it could do."

"And?" Mama Odie seemed intrigued.

"It'll take some time, but I'll dig," Tenebrae said with a smile. "But because of what I've done, I'll need a lot of help."

"That's good to hear," Mama Odie said with a smile. "Then get a move on! You ain't got much time to waste."

"Yeah," Tenebrae said, turning to leave. "And thanks. I will take what you said to heart."

Tenebrae left the boat and descended the tree. It was still dark, and he needed a place to rest. He ran through the marshes, so he could make up for lost time. As he ran though, there was a feeling that was unmistakable. He made it to the edge of the forest before making himself comfortable.

As he fell asleep, he had a dream he didn't expect. In it were the Light Protectors, Cetus, and Shaylex, but by his side was Laci. She was smiling at him brightly, and he felt happier than he had in long time. -

* * *

It's fun when you have two sources to work with. This chapter was fun, since I had a backbone thanks to my friend Shaylex_Cosplay, and I was tempted to actually include the lyrics from the song. But still this story is starting to develop and I'm happy with how it's turning out.  
So I'll see you all in the next one!


	21. Conflict and Miracles

Aright everyone! Longer chapter than usual because we have a lot going on. But let's hope we get to the end of the World and movie. This will be fun!

* * *

Even though he had slept on the ground again, Tenebrae woke up refreshed. He was happier and ready for anything.

It looked like it was early in the day. So, he had some time to kill before meeting Shaylex if she even came back to this World. Even if she didn't, he still wanted to stay and figure the World out. There were some big mysteries that piqued his interest.

Tenebrae decided to wait until about noon, before going on his own. He went back to town and grabbed some breakfast. AS he ate, he listened around.

There was news all over, about Ms. La Bouff marrying a prince. But there was no mention of a name.

"We were out for the day, guess news traveled around. But it doesn't concern me or Shaylex."

Tenebrae finished his breakfast and walked to Duke's Café. That seemed to be a popular spot, both for his group and patrons of the World. Tenebrae had guessed it had to do with Tiana. She was a Light that drew in others, even if she didn't realize it. Tenebrae thought this as he leaned against the wall near the door.

Tenebrae felt a portal open close to him, about 30 minutes later. He opened his eyes in time to see Shaylex and Demyx step through a corridor. He pushed off the wall and approached the two Nobodies.

"You guys took your time," he said.

Demyx pointed to Shaylex and smirked. "We'd have gotten here sooner, if this one didn't take her time getting ready today."

The smack to the back of Demyx's head was well deserved. "Hey!" Shaylex exclaimed, "We're here now and ready to destroy more Heartless."

Shaylex pushed Demyx into the café. It looked like they wouldn't be needing his help today. Tenebrae rolled his eyes, as Shaylex walked back out and towards the bayou. Tenebrae followed behind quickly.

They walked on for a bit. Tenebrae noticed there was something off about Shaylex today. When they made it back to the spot, they found the two frogs, he finally spoke.

"Are you okay?" he asked Shaylex.

The Nobody nodded. "Yeah, just had a bit of a restless night," she explained.

At least she was being open with him. He couldn't help feeling happier, as he said, "I know the feeling. At least we're getting closer to the strong Heartless threat that we were tasked with finding."

Shaylex looked confused. "We are?"

Tenebrae nodded. "Oh yeah, after I left, I went around the area and felt a dark presence from close by. If we get close enough, we could get the jump on it and surprise it," he explained.

There was a presence as he had gone to Mama Odie's. But he had wanted to play it safe. After all, the mission was Shaylex's, she needed to be there.

"Sounds like a good idea," Shaylex said. She led the pair back to the clearing where they parted.

Tenebrae felt the Darkness from before. And there was a familiarity to it. Shaylex looked at him with questioning eyes. She must have felt the presence as well, so he nodded to confirm it.

The pair summoned their Keyblades. They walked carefully towards the source of Darkness. The source led them into a darker part of the swamp. The plants took on a darker, sinister vibe, especially the ones that had grown over time.

When they approached a hollowed-out tree, Tenebrae became tense. This feeling, couldn't have been…

Shaylex looked at Tenebrae and made eye contact. After pointing at the tree, she made a series of odd hand movements. Tenebrae was completely lost when she nodded.

When she realized he did not understand, she whispered, "You go around the trunk and hit it from behind. I'll hit it from this side. Got it?"

Tenebrae widened his eyes in confusion but nodded at the plan. He gave a thumbs up and silently moved out of view.

When he was in position, he held his Keyblade in both hands and charged his mana. Purple flames started to pool around the tip. The flame grew as he waited for a signal. The signal came when the trunk was surrounded by wind. He immediately shot his flame at the trunk and it caught fire with the combined spells.

Right before the two spells were loosed, Tenebrae had noticed a figure escape the trunk. He really had hoped that was his imagination when he saw yellow and pigtails. Once his spell was done, he immediately gave chase.

'If that was her…then why was she here?'

Tenebrae tried to keep up, but eventually lost track of the presence. He slowed his pace and looked around. As he walked, he thought about what he saw.

'That couldn't have been her. What could they want with this place? Or are they just here to piss me off?'

Tenebrae found a rock and sat on it. 'It would probably be best if I deal with her now. The last thing I need is for her to meet Shaylex. If they were in the same area, what would happen?' He opened his senses. 'She is gone now, so I should head back.'

Tenebrae got up and stared in the direction he came. He needed to meet back up with Shyalex.

"You shouldn't have chased after me Tenebrae."

Tenebrae internally cursed as he looked toward the voice. He hated he was right, and Hashely was standing before him. Something felt off about the Being of Darkness. She didn't have her normal insane innocent routine going.

"I had to confirm my suspicions that it was you, Hashley," Tenebrae said. He jumped off the rock and walked towards the girl.

Her reaction surprised him. She moved back quickly and put her hands up. Hasley seemed frightful, which was odd.

'She was always ready to kill me before. What changed?' he thought.

Tenebrae stopped and dismissed Kingdom Key D. He showed Hashley his empty hand. She was scared and Tenebrae was hoping it wasn't for why he thought.

Tenebrae approached Hashley with caution, holding his hand out to her. "I can help you. We can face this together." He tried to sound as soothing as he could.

Hashley shook her head and seemed to shrink in on herself. "I can't Tenebrae. He's too strong. You know that just as much as I do." Her voice was so soft, so timid.

Tenebrae knew Heloa couldn't be trusted. "I've gotten stronger since our last fight," he said proudly.

"That might be the case," Hashley said. "But…he…I…" Before she could finish her thought, she gripped her head. Hashley's body started to convulse and spasm. She looked like she was in pain.

Tenebrae rushed over to and held onto her. Seeing her helpless like this, reminded him of when he found Shaylex passed out in the Bayou.

He took Hashley to the rock and helped her get on it. "Hashley? What happened?"

"Another memory." The Being was still holding onto her head. "From my past."

"Your past?" he asked.

"Yes, before I became this, I couldn't remember my past," Hashley explained. "But when I was created, they came back. Every now and again, I get flashbacks that hurt."

'Memories of her past? The similarities…' Tenebrae's eyes widened as he thought. 'No…please no…'

"Wait?" he asked as he stood up and back. He looked at Hashley again and saw more of Shaylex as he did. "What was your name before you became a Heartless?"

"My name? I think… it was… Ashley," Hashley said innocently. She then explained. "I was separated from my body about three months ago, when the World I had spent a year on was destroyed by the Darkness."

'No!' Tenebrae's eyes widened as he thought. 'No! Why didn't I see it sooner!?'

He remembered Shaylex mentioning losing her heart a few months prior. And the time Hashley gave him matched. Shaylex later said her World was destroyed. And Hashley's memories matched that as well.

But there was one more thing he needed to know. Shaylex said Keval knew her or knew her past left. So, he needed to know…

"What was the memory? What other memories do you have?" he asked urgently.

"The memory I saw just now, was when I first learned to wield a Keyblade, when I first got Lost Memory," Haslhley started to explain. "There were two other Wielders. Friends that I had grown up with. Other memories that I have had include hanging out by the fountain in Daybreak Town with friends. There was quite as small group of us. Including him… but he wasn't tainted with Darkness. I… it doesn't matter now." She hugged her knees to her chest, turning away from him.

Daybreak Town was the final piece. Hashley and Shaylex, or Ashley as they were before, were there before the Keyblade War. The group she mentioned, with Keval, had to have been the Light Protectors. But what matter was that he had a chance for a new ally.

"It does Hashley! You're not a full Heartless like I thought you were when we first met." Tenebrae urged her. "You still held onto your sense of self, thanks to your memories. You can fight this Darkness. You can fight him!" He grabbed her shoulders to make her look at him.

"No, I can't Tenebrae. It's too late for me." She warned him. "You best get back to your Partner. She's probably looking for you."

"Not without you," Tenebrae begged. He didn't want to lose a potential ally. "You can leave him, Hashley. You can fight his control."

Hashley was holding onto a silver necklace, before she asked, "But what if I don't want to?"

Tenebrae wasn't sure what that meant. He let go of the girl, taking a step back. "What are you saying?"

"I'm sorry, Tenebrae. I gave you a chance to get out of here. But you just blew it." Hashley pushed Tenebrae.

Tenebrae felt a force much stronger than intended. It sent him flying into the marsh. He got up in time to see Hashley clutch her head again.

'Guess I need to destroy her after all,' he thought as he summoned his Keyblade.

Tenebrae rushed Hashley, igniting his Keyblade and swinging to attack. The Heartless bent backwards, making him miss her. When she stood up, she flowed into a kick that was aimed at his face. He barely blocked the strike before jumping back.

He kept making strikes to try and end Hashley. Each strike missed as she moved and bent in odd ways. Each time she was upright, she attacked him. He was able to block each strike. The cycle continued until Hashley jumped back.

Hashley raised her hands as a black vortex was created around Tenebrae. He could feel both the Darkness and Wind magic as he was thrown into the air. His reaction time was slowed when Hashley appeared above him and kicked him downwards. The force of the kick had him impacting the ground hard enough to make a crater.

Tenebrae was barely conscious, but he saw Hashley land near the edge. He finally noticed her eyes; they were cloudy like she was being controlled. Now they were clear as she looked at her hands. She dropped to her knees, looking defeated.

"I'm sorry, Tenebrae," she said, "But you left me no choice."

Tenebrae saw a portal open next to her. Heloa stepped through not a second later. Hashley didn't even look at the other Being. But Heloa just knelt beside her and gently held her chin to look at him.

Tenebrae stuck his Keyblade into the ground. He needed some leverage as pain shot through his body. He just watched the two Beings of Darkness.

"Well done, Hashley, my sweet," Heloa said, softly. "You have made me proud." He placed a kiss on the girl's forehead.

Hashley seemed conflicted but smiled. "Anything for you, Heloa," she said softly, before looking at Tenebrae.

Heloa followed her gaze and chuckled. Tenebrae barely had a foot on the ground, before Heloa walked up to him.

Tenebrae glared up at the Dark version of his old Union mate. "If you're going to kill me, just get on with it already!"

Heloa actually laughed at him. "Didn't I tell you before, that it was useless to try fighting the Darkness so recklessly? You're lucky I had my girl go easy on you again today. You are far too important for me to kill you." Heloa crouched to be eye level with him. "You know what you have to do, to get stronger if you have any chance of beating me."

Heloa stood up and walked away, towards Hashley. The Being of Darkness looked back to him and said, "Oh, and it's best SHE isn't involved. Wouldn't want to risk losing her too." Heloa took Hashley's hand and made her stand up. The two then walked to a portal.

Hashley had just enough time to look at him and mouth, 'I'm sorry,' before Heloa pulled her close. Heloa had an arm around her waist as they went through.

When the corridor disappeared, Tenebrae yelled to the sky. Anytime he tried to help, it backfired. He knew nothing would ever go his way. He knew he would fail. And he knew what he needed now. He thought that as he fell back and passed out, having taken too much damage from earlier. -

Tenebrae wasn't sure how long he was asleep. He also wasn't sure what to do next. At best, needed to find Shaylex.

Learning that she and Hashley were most likely once one, made her a target. But if that was the case, Heloa already knew. Heloa had to have known, in order to threaten the Seeker. And that threat would be the only reason he wouldn't say a word to Shaylex. She couldn't know about the Heartless version of herself.

Tenebrae felt something on his leg. The thing then moved up onto his stomach, and then onto his chest. There it rested as whatever was on him started to bob. He then felt a tapping on his head, in rhythm to the bobbing.

Tenebrae begrudgingly opened his eyes. He was met with the familiar reptilian eyes of Juju, Mama Odie's snake. In its mouth was a bowl, that it had been using on his head.

Tenebrae sighed as he grabbed the bowl. "Thank you," he said. He sat up to get comfortable and took a sip of whatever was in the bowl.

The snake slithered away, to a lit part of the boat house. Tenebrae realized he was in Mama Odie's home. But he had been in the marshes when he collapsed. So how was he here?

Tenebrae ate slowly as he went over the past events. Luckily, the spice of the gumbo helped to calm him. But what didn't calm him was the information about Hashley and Shaylex; that they may have come from the same person. Hashley's memories matched Shaylex's story, which was much bigger than a coincidence. He finished the gumbo when he heard a conversation.

He heard Mama Odie's loud happy voice. As he listened, he also heard… Shaylex! She was safe. He didn't hear much of the conversation, but he thought it was a good idea to make his presence known.

Tenebrae stood up and dusted himself off. He doubled checked his clothes, they were tattered from the fight and regenerating. He walked into the next room. He saw Mama Odie and Shaylex looking into the tub of what should have been gumbo. Shaylex was having a different range of emotions as she stared at the tub.

As he walked towards them, Tenebrae noticed something in the gumbo. It was a vision of sorts. He saw Keval back in his Union days talking to a younger Shaylex. They were sitting on a roof in Daybreak Town. The pair was side by side, before Shaylex's younger self fell asleep on Keval's shoulder. And that was where he saw the vision end, before looking at Shaylex herself.

The Nobody looked shocked. She was on the verge of tears. Shaylex took a step back and almost fell.

Tenebrae's instinct kicked in and he got behind Shaylex. He was able to catch the Nobody. Shaylex then shook her head and looked up at him.

"Shay are you okay?" he asked her.

"Y-ye-yeah Tenebrae. I am. What about you?" she asked as she looked at his arm, his jacket was still a bit torn. "Mama Odie said you got into a fight."

"Oh yeah." He rubbed the back of his head. He couldn't mention Hashley, not until he got more information. "The Heartless presence was in that tree, but it took off once our combined spell hit. I chased after it and fought it. I don't think it's going to plague this World anymore."

Shaylex stood up. "That's a relief, but Tiana and Naveen are on their way back to town to find Charlotte so she can break the spell. But from the sounds of things, I don't think Facilier is going to let that happen."

"Well what are we waiting for?" he asked, helping Shaylex to stand. "Let's get going."

The two Wielders said goodbye to Mama Odie. They left her home and ran into the bayou. When out of sight, Shaylex opened a corridor. Passing through, the two were outside the La Bouff mansion.

They ran towards town, where the Mardi Gras parade was taking place. They moved through the crowd with ease, both putting their training to work, weaving through it. They needed to find the two humans-turned-frogs.

Shaylex looked to her left and went that way. Tenebrae was right behind her. He finally saw Tiana with the firefly, Ray he thinks it was.

"Tiana!" the Nobody called out.

Tiana looked their way and smiled. She hopped over to them. "Shay! Tenebrae! You're here!" There was no denying the joy in her voice.

"Yeah, Tiana. We found Mama Odie and she told us what you guys were going to do." Tenebrae explained.

Tiana was giddy and shining. "Yeah, we need to get going to find Naveen kissing Charlotte. And then, he's not going to marry her. Ray's just told me that he was going to help me get my restaurant."

"That's amazing, Tiana," Shaylex said, as she knelt to let the frog jump onto her hand then shoulder. The Nobody then took off running. "Come on then, let's go find your prince."

Tenebrae followed behind. "What are we looking for?" he asked.

Tiana looked around before saying, just look for the biggest float with a Mardi Gras Princess about to kiss herself a…" Her focus was on a float in the distance.

All eyes turned to the float. Ray's, Shyalex's and Tenebrae's eyes widened at the sight. On the float, was Charlotte with the Prince from the party. If that was Naveen, how could he have been a frog and a human at the same time. Either way, it looked like a wedding was taking place.

"That can't be right," he heard Shaylex whisper.

Tenebrae saw Tian jump off Shaylex's shoulder and hop away. A feeling of Darkness his attention, and he looked to the source. Facilier was in an alley off to the side. He had a strange doll in his hand.

Before Shaylex could follow the frog-girl, he grabbed her. Tenebrae pointed towards Facilier. The two Wielders looked at each other and nodded. Ray, the firefly, flew past the pair towards the human Naveen's ear, but was ignored and swatted.

Shaylex seemed to realize what that meant. Ray flew away and to a box behind the fake prince. Shaylex smiled and summoned her Keyblade. Aiming it at the box, a light flashed, and the box clicked. Naveen hopped out of the box and onto the fake, both falling off the float. The two Naveens then disappeared into some nearby buildings.

Ray came out from under the float with a strange talisman. He flew off towards what looked like a cemetery.

Shaylex looked to Tenebrae, and the pair nodded. They ran after the firefly, in time to see him talking to Tiana. It looked like he was explaining the talisman to her. It seemed to be urging her to run away with the talisman.

Some strange shadows appeared near them. They didn't feel like Heartless, but they were Darkness. Both Wielders summoned their Keyblades and got ready to fight.

Ray smiled after giving Tiana the talisman. He flew towards the shadows and lit up his butt. The shadows disappeared in the light, screaming in pain.

'Well, that's an obvious weakness,' Tenebrae thought.

The two Wielders used their Keyblades to lead the shadows to Ray. They fell back after a few got destroyed and went to protect Tiana. A slap was heard and Facilier was nearby where Ray was flying around.

The two Wielders ran up to meet him but went on the defensive. They needed to take care of him, but he didn't seem scared. Instead, Facilier walked up to them.

Facilier stopped and spoke, "Now, now my friends. We have a deal, right? You did help get rid of that dark presence plaguing the World. You kept up your end of the bargain; but if you don't get out of my way, I won't be able to hold up my end." He explained while twirling his cane.

Shaylex tensed but held fast and gripped her Keyblade tight. "Deal or not, we're not going to let you hurt Tiana. Or this World!" she declared. "Yes, there was a dark presence and, yes, we may have gotten rid of it. But that doesn't mean one more Darkness still remains."

"Fair enough," Facilier said, as more shadows appeared around him. "You are two weaklings against me and my true friends from the other side."

Shaylex seemed unfazed. Instead, she smiled and took a step forward. "Who said it was just the two of us?" She snapped her fingers. "You're not the only one who can command a secret army."

At her command, some strange looking creatures appeared. They were humanoid, with silver skin. They seemed to be wearing what looked like a peach colored hat and pants. They had on black wristbands, boots and what seemed to be half the Nobody symbol on their chest. The Nobody symbol were on the pants cuffs.

When Shaylex charged Facilier, the Nobodies attacked the shadows. Tenebrae took that as them being allies and followed Shaylex's lead. The pair attacked Facilier, with Shaylex making the first strike. She was blocked by his cane. Tenebrae came up from the side and tried to attack. Facilier jumped back out of range and sent a wave of magic at the two Wielders. They blocked the magic and sent their own at the "Doctor", with fire and ice being shot as retaliation.

This way of fighting kept on for a few minutes. The Nobodies were doing well at keeping the shadows in place but seemed to be losing. Shaylex and Tenebrae kept the pressure on Facilier, but he was slippery and adept with his magic.

"Enough!" Facilier shouted. A wave of shadows erupted from him. They took out the lesser Nobodies and pushed the two Wielders into a tombstone. The concrete wrapped around their arms and legs, holding them in place. Satisfied, Facilier smiled and walked away.

Struggling, Tenebrae couldn't help his anger. They were close but the Nobodies barely helped. "Great plan, Shaylex."

"Well, I didn't see you come up with any good ideas." She didn't seem to be any happier with the situation.

"Where did you get those things anyway?" he asked. He didn't realize she had the ability to summon other Nobodies.

"From me!" Demyx's voice was heard. The sitar player jumped down and smiled smugly at them. "Yep, those Dancers came from me. You're welcome"

'He was hiding!?' Tenebrae thought, as his anger rose.

"Welcome? It didn't help us out because…" He yelled the next part almost loud enough to wake the dead, "WE ARE STUCK IN CONCRETE AND THE STUPID SHADOWMAN IS ABOUT TO DESTROY TIANA AND THIS WORLD!"

Demyx jumped back a bit. "Hey, I'm sorry man. I thought I was helping."

'By not joining the fight!?' Tenebrae thought.

"You tried your best Demyx, but it wasn't enough," Shaylex said. "We just have to hope Tiana can stop him."

On cue, a bright green light illuminated the cemetery. Powerful dark magic could be felt coming from it. In the distance, a large tombstone opened. Many weird voodoo-like things came out of it, including a few large masks. They were singing to Facilier, who was trying to get away. Something strange came out of the tombstone and grabbed the fleeing Shadowman. It dragged him into a green portal, which caused the tombstone to change showing his face looking terrified.

With the Docotor gone, Tenebrae and Shaylex were released from the bindings. They landed and ran to the source. They found Tiana near pieces of the broken talisman. That must have been why Facilier was taken.

Shaylex smiled as she crouched near Tiana. "Are you okay, Tiana?"

Tiana looked at her and smiled. "Yeah, I am. Come on guys, let's go find Naveen. I need to tell him how I feel." The frog girl hopped onto Shaylex's shoulder.

The trio and Demyx headed back to town. They had to find Naveen quick. As they ran down Main Street, they passed by and older short man being taken away by the officials. He was yammering about the Shadowman. They found Naveen talking to Charlotte on the side of the road.

Charlotte looked overwhelmed. Naveen must have just told her the story. "Good gracious, thi is a lot to absorb. Let me see if I got this right," she said. "If I kiss you before midnight, you and Tiana will turn human again. And then we gonna get ourselves married and live happily ever after! The end!" At least someone was getting a happy ending.

"Yeah, more or less," Naveen said to the blonde. "But remember, you must give Tiana all the money she requires for her restaurant. Because Tiana…" Naveen looked up at the brightest star in the sky and smiled, "She is my Evangeline."

"Anything for you, sugar," Charlotte said happily. "Now pucker up, buttercup." She puckered her lips.

Naveen did the same. But he seemed reluctant to do so.

Tiana jumped off Shaylex's shoulder and shouted, "Wait!" She hopped towards them.

Naveen looked surprised. "Tiana?"

"Don't do this," Tiana begged.

Naveen shook his head. "I have to do this, and we are running out of time," he explained.

Tiana looked adamant. "I won't let you," she argued.

"It's the only way to get your dream," Naveen said.

"My dream. My dream wouldn't be complete without you in it," Tiana confessed. "I love you Naveen."

Shaylex and Tenebrae smiled at the confession. Her Light was warming. And Tenebrae couldn't help but think of Laci. Would he get a second chance to tell her?

"Warts and all?" Naveen asked.

"Warts and all!" Tiana had a genuine smile.

Charlotte sighed and smiled. "All my life, I read about true love and fairytales, and Tia you found it. I'll kiss! For you, honey. No marriage required." Charlotte picked up Naveen and Kissed him, as the clocked chimed midnight. Naveen was still a frog. "Maybe that ol' clocks a little fast." She kept kissing Naveen, until he had lipstick marks all over his face. She put him down when nothing happened. "I'm so sorry."

Even without the change, both Tiana and Naveen looked happy. When Louis the gator came close, all eyes turned to him. He had Ray in his claws, the firefly was injured. Tiana and Naveen explained everything to him, even staying together as frogs. The firefly looked happy and closed his eyes.

Tenebrae wasn't the only one to realize what had happened. Shaylex and the others were sad as Ray took his last breath. He and the two Nobodies turned to give the friends their privacy to mourn.

The three of them went to Duke's and ordered some drinks. They toasted to Tiana, Naveen, and Ray. A little bit later, Demyx excused himself and left through a corridor.

The two Wielders watched the parade through a window. Tenebrae nursed his drink as the events ran through his mind.

Shaylex than asked, "What was her name?"

Tenebrae turned his attention to the Nobody, confused by the question. "Huh?" he asked.

"The person you were close to. What was their name?" She asked. He could see he subtle curiosity in her eyes.

He guessed there was no use lying. It's not like the two would meet. "Laci. Her name was Laci," he said, finishing his drink. "What about you? I saw part of that memory Mama Odie sent you. Were you and Keval… a thing?" He wanted to know.

"I don't know. But I think at one point, he must have liked me and maybe, deep down, maybe there was something there. I know I'll figure out my missing memories." She finished her own drink and got up. "Well, should be going to a new would tomorrow… Hopefully, I'll get a message to you beforehand."

"Sounds good he said with a smile. "See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Tenebrae." She waved, before stepping through a corridor.

Tenebrae got up as well. He waved good night to Duke and left. The parade was still in full swing, but Tenebrae didn't feel all too happy. He went to the woods on the outskirts and went to sleep. He was going to do one more thing before he left this World. -

* * *

And there we go. Another chapter down, and a World explored, though Tenebrae won't be leaving yet.  
Again, thanks to Shaylex-Cosplay for giving me content to work with. Fun fact: The fight between Hashley and Tenebare and the group and the Shadowman was all her, I just did it from the flame boy's perspective. And of course, thanks Kale Thunderhorse Lampkin for letting us use Heloa.  
I also realized Tenebrae has never seen a lesser Nobody, so seeing the Dancers for the first time was interesting. Anyway, hope to see you all in the next one.  
May your heart be your guiding Key!


	22. Realization and Mansions

Hello Wielders, Knight here! With a new chapter. This one is a bit more of a information gathering chapter. So don't expect much action.  
Still I hope you all enjoy!

* * *

Tenebrae woke up the next morning and stretched. He felt like there was one more thing he could do before leaving. He went into the bayou and headed to Mama Odie's.

As he got closer, he noticed lights gathering. As he approached, he saw numerous swamp creatures surrounding what seemed to be an altar. He got close enough to see Mama Odie on the altar, in front of Tiana and Naveen. Tenebrae was able to guess what was going on. He leaned on a nearby tree and watched.

"So, by the power vested in me," Mama Odie gave a laugh as she finished the ceremony, "I now pronounce y'all frog and wife. Get to it hop along, give yo lovely bride some suga!"

Both frogs were happy. They leaned in and touched lips. On contact, there was a blinding light that surrounded them. Tenebrae had to shield his eyes. The light seemed to grow.

Mama Odie chuckled and clapped. "This is gonna be gooood!"

The light burst one last time. When it dissipated, opening almost like a flower, two human figures were standing on the altar. Their lips were still connected as Tiana and Naveen were turned back.

Both were in formal attire. Though both their clothes were green and had designs of a more nature base. When they opened their eyes and looked at each other, they were surprised. They then looked at themselves and their clothes, smiling.

Mama Odie laughed again. "Like I told y'all, kissing a princess breaks the spell."

Naveen had a moment of realization. "When she became my wife, that made you…!"

"A princess," Tiana said, finishing his sentence. "You just kissed yourself a princess."

Naveen smiled and looked into her eyes. "And I'm about to do it again." He leaned in, to kiss Tiana once more.

Tenebrae couldn't help his own smile. The Light coming from both was enough to protect this World. Tenebrae took this chance to leave. He snuck away and opened a portal. He left the World with a silent goodbye, hoping to come back later. He stepped through the portal.

Tenebrae stepped out of the portal and was deposited in front of the mansion in Twilight Town. After one step, he felt a pain in his chest. He gripped it and focused on the pain. His Light was growing, and it was harming him.

"Dammit," he huffed, "Mama Odie was right, but I need time. I need to find Laci to know for sure. I should speak to Keval and see how everything goes."

Tenebrae took a deep breath as he forced his Light down. He made the journey through the woods and into the town proper. It looked like it was about late morning.

'Time must have synced for a little while,' Tenebrae thought as he went into town. 'Either way, I'll stay in town and do some hunting while I wait for Shaylex.'

Tenebrae walked to the Shopping District. He bought himself a late breakfast. He ate it on the ground, walking around as he looked around town. He found himself walking towards Cetus's shop again. There was something there.

He walked up to the shop and saw Cetus. When Tenebrae got close, he felt it. Cetus's Light was getting stronger. He wasn't sure how, but Heart was getting stronger. With how it felt, she may soon have her Keyblade back. But would that be good, or bad?

"Good day, Cetus," Tenebrae said, walking up to the flower girl. "It's been a few days, how have you been?"

"Oh, hello Tenebrae," Cetus looked up from tending to her flowers. "I've been well. I can't explain why, but I feel a lot happier than normal. And my customers seem to notice."

Tenebrae tried to keep a smile on. But he knew why, he could feel her Light. "Well it does show. And hey, if the shopkeeper is happy, the customers will be to. Of course, a cute smiling girl can get plenty of people smiling as well."

Cetus blushed a bit at the compliment. "I wouldn't say that. But I'm glad to see them happy."

'Spoken like a true Wielder,' Tenebrae thought.

He tightened his fist but kept his smile on. "Well still, that just shows how strong your heart is. One strong enough to put others before yourself. It's a good trait to have."

"Thank you, Tenebrae," Cetus said with a smile. It was both passionate and innocent.

Tenebrae couldn't help how he felt. He didn't want her to get her Keyblade back, but he had a feeling more Wielders would be better. There was also a selfish part that wanted to know why she was picked as a Dandelion. And she would need a Keyblade, so it would be a fair fight.

"No problem," he said, walking up to some flowers. He looked over some, trying to remember what each symbolized. He picked up a gladiolus and walked up to Cetus. "I'd like this one. I did promise to buy on next time I came by."

"Alright," Cetus said, going to her till. "Only one again? I won't judge, but why? Don't you have someone you like?"

"I…" Tenebrae guessed she had a point. His thoughts went to Laci, but she wasn't the same as before. "I do. But I haven't had a chance to talk with her lately. So, for now, just the one."

"Alright. Well it's only 10 Munny," Cetus said with smile.

Tenebrae handed her the Munny. Cetus took the Munny and the flower. She wrapped the flower in some paper and gave it back. He took it and smiled.

"Thanks," Tenebrae said. "Have a good day, Cetus."

"You too," she called out as he walked away.

Tenebrae held onto the gladiolus as he walked. He wasn't sure what to do. He bought the flower so he could remind himself of the events he's witnessed. After what happened with Hashley and Heloa, he knew the course the need to take.

Tenebrae knew he needed to get stronger. That wasn't the concern. His concern was how. He was used to the Light but spent so much time in the Realm of Darkness. He became so much stronger with the Darkness. Even the smallest amount of Light messed with his body.

'But when I went through Kingdom Hearts,' he thought as he walked to Sunset Hill, 'I cut my shadow, and that reduced my Darkness drastically. Or did it allow me to walk in the Realm of Light? I don't feel the pressure from the Realm of Darkness, but too much Light still hurts.'

Tenebrae needed to figure out how to get the two in balance.

And speaking with Mama Odie gave him a clue. She mentioned two women and a man. He knew one of the women had to be Shaylex. His best guess on the man had to be Keval. But who did that make the last woman?

Tenebrae needed to figure out what this meant. He thought about the two he knew; Shaylex and Keval.

Shaylex was a girl he met by chance in the Realm of Darkness. At the time, she was frustrated and alone. She needed to vent. He chose to listen and wait from there. He had agreed to join her to learn more about the Nobodies. And so far, after the few missions they've done together, he felt they had similarities, but major differences. And meeting Hashley and learning she could have been from Daybreak, made him realize they had more in common. But she was only his Partner, they weren't even friends.

Keval was easier. He and Tenebrae were Union mates. After learning Keval's views, that made them rivals. Tenebrae felt like he needed to live up to his Union Mate's expectations, then surpass him. While it was a childish view, that is what Rivals did. Tenebrae needed to get stronger and push Keval to do the same. He knew his fellow Unicornus would like the idea.

The final girl though… His thoughts were swimming. He hadn't interacted with many women outside of missions. And after the War, there was even less of a chance. His current interaction included: Shaylex, a flower girl, an unusual Wielder, and the embodiment of Shaylex's Darkness. He wasn't sure if he could add Laci to the list.

Tenebrae felt his heart tighten. This happened too often now that he was out of the Realm of Darkness. Any thoughts on Laci immediately hurt. Even the smallest thoughts. And finding Alicx, that made the pain much worse. There was one conclusion he could come to. And he almost hated thinking about it.

Love. An emotion that brought the strongest Light. Love made people unbelievably strong against adversity. And the type of love gave different strengths. But no matter what, love was a Light he could never hope to match with his studies.

Tenebrae made it to Sunset Hill and sat down on the benches. 'But does that mean what I think?' he thought as he went over everything. 'If that's the case, then some of those dreams and nightmares made sense. But then this would have had to have started in the Unions. I _WAS _always peeking at her when we studied.'

Tenebrae felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. He quickly slapped his face to calm down. At least all his thoughts didn't cause pain. The positive ones about Laci still embarrassed him. Especially any about her smile.

Tenebrae punched himself in the face. A bit of blood came from his split lip. He needed to stop those thoughts. He couldn't keep thinking like that, not without knowing how she felt. But he guessed Alicx had her memories, with how she spoke to him.

But there was a new fact for Tenebrae. Mama Odie told him there were three that would help him. Shaylex the Nobody, Keval of Unicornus, and Laci…

"The girl I love," he said with a smirk. He took a deep breath and looked to the sky, "I LOVE LACI!"

"Who is that? Someone Shaylex should be worried about?"

Tenebrae summoned his Keyblade and let loose a fireball at the voice. The attack whizzed past a now frightened Demyx. The sitar-playing Nobody didn't seem prepared for an attack.

"Didn't anyone tell you to be prepared for battle at all times?" Tenebrae growled.

"How was I supposed to know?" Demyx whined, on the verge of tears, "You didn't fight me or Shaylex, just the Heartless!"

"Because the Heartless are my natural enemy," Tenebrae sighed, before resting Kingdom Key D on his shoulders. "But if anyone sneaks up on me, my instinct tells me to strike. Conditioning from my training, really. So, what do you want?"

"Well Shaylex wanted you to know where her next mission was," Demyx said, "Axel was asked first, but he was busy. I was asked next because we met."

Tenebrae raised his eyebrow. He did say he would meet Shaylex again. But part of him felt it would be best if they did some solo training. And Shaylex had other allies he was sure she could work with.

"If you see her, tell her I can't make it," Tenebrae said. "I've some personal business I need to take care of. But thanks for the reminder."

"Alright," Demyx said with a wave, "Guess I'll head out." A corridor appeared and the blond Nobody stepped through.

Tenebrae took a breath to calm down. Both from his own realization and Demyx's sudden arrival. As much as he did want to admit, Demyx did more than trigger his instincts. He had been so in thought; he was actually frightened.

It was only after noon, but Tenebrae wanted to get some information. He headed to the Light Protectors' apartment to see who was around. He knocked on the door and waited. He closed his eyes and listened. When there was no sound, he pushed his senses out to find any mana.

When everything was negative, Tenebrae relaxed. It was both infuriating and reassuring that no one was around. He wanted to speak to Keval, but there was still a lot Tenebrae was processing.

He left the complex and wandered around town. Tenebrae was at a loss as to what to do. He couldn't talk to anyone he knew about love, and even Keval was a stretch.

Tenebrae sighed as he walked around. He was at a dead end and he needed to figure things out. He needed to sort out his own feelings, but had no idea where Laci was. She would be the only person that he would _NEED _to see.

'I guess finding shelter for the night would be preferred,' Tenebrae thought, He made his way to the old mansion, making it through the woods. 'This place has been empty for a while it seems. And it's so far into the woods, no one should come here.'

Tenebrae made it through the forest with ease. He encountered some small Heartless, which were blasted away by his magic. He noticed he was getting much stronger, and that was good.

When he made it to thee clearing, he was faced with a different dilemma. The mansion had a giant lock on the gate. He could get rid of it completely, but that might raise suspicion. His other option was a bit more subtle, but also completely dumb.

Tenebrae took a step away and opened a portal. Stepping through, he was on the other side. Tenebrae walked between the pillars and to the door. When he tried it, the door opened with little resistance.

Tenebrae peeked in. Luckily, nothing seemed to jump out when he did. He opened the door more and stepped inside. The interior of the mansion was nice. There was a surprising lack of dust and cobwebs. The window ahead let in a lot of natural light. The balcony above was inviting, but he wanted to check the first floor.

Tenebrae walked to the left-hand door and opened it. Inside was the remains of a dining room. There were a few statutes and decorations. But Tenebrae was more surprised with the table that was broken in half. 'Something went on a rampage in this place.'

Tenebrae left the room, back into the main hall. The door across was blocked off and inaccessible. Tenebrae decided to head up the stairs to the second level.

He checked the room on the left from the entrance. When he tried it, it was locked. Quickly summoning his Keyblade, he jumped back and tried to unlock the door. There was a flash from Kingdom Key D, but no sound from the door. Tenebrae tried the door again and still couldn't open it.

'Something is blocking the Keyblade's power,' Tenebrae thought. 'That should be impossible, unless the one who made the lock knows about the Keyblades. This place is abandoned, for how long is the question.'

Tenebrae left the door and went across the second level. He made it to another door. Trying this one, it opened with ease. Upon entering the room, Tenebrae's eyes lit up.

Tenebrae entered a library. Besides the window across from the door, the walls were lined with bookshelf. The bookshelves were filled with various books. On the wall, next to the door, there was an empty section. There was a bust of what looked to be a horse with a horn and wings. There was also a table in the center of the room, closer to the window.

'A collection?' Tenebrae thought as he looked over the spines of the books. 'Or research? Either way, this is quite a find. But what knowledge does this place offer?'

Tenebrae pulled a book off the shelves. He opened and skimmed it. It seemed to contain information and knowledge about the Heart. The booked seemed to be a researcher's notes.

'This is strange.' He read through the book carefully. 'Why would someone research Heart like this? Unless they intended to do something with it. But what?'

Tenebrae closed the book and put it away. Tenebrae was curious about the others, but knew time was limited for the day. He just needed to come back on a free day.

Tenebrae turned to leave and was met with an interesting figure. Standing at the door, was an older man, he guessed. The figure had red bandages covering most of their face. Only one eye and their mouth were visible. The orange eye spoke of wisdom and age. The rest of their outfit was simply by design. They had a red cape, that had an opening showing off a blue line design on their chest. Their arms were sleeved in beige and their legs were covered by black with gold lining.

"And what are you doing in this forgotten place?" The voice was male. Tenebrae felt anger and sadness from it.

"Exploration," Tenebrae simply said. He locked eyes with the now confirmed man.

The man looked him up and down. Tenebrae could tell by the critical eye, that he was being inspected. Why and for what, he wasn't sure. But the man's eye was on his hair more than anything.

"Well, you'll not find anything here," the man said "How you even entered this place is interesting. The towns people locked it away."

'What about you then?' Tenebrae thought.

Tenebrae stood tall and proud, looking the man in his eye. "I have a bad habit of climbing gates and the like to search new areas. Sometimes my pursuit of knowledge leads me to trouble."

"Oh?" The man seemed both amused and angry. "Then it seems you have found it again. I would recommend you leave this place and never return."

Tenebrae knew something was being hidden. There was something here that could not be revealed. Tenebrae's grin grew as his instincts to research kicked in. He would fight this man to get what he wanted.

"For someone to claim there is nothing," Tenebrae slid into his stance, but didn't summon his Keyblade, "Usually means there is something. And the one claiming that, knows exactly what it is. My guess, you have knowledge hidden here that could change this town."

The man shook his head. "Not just this town, but all Worlds. If placed in the wrong hands, everything will be for naught. And you are as corrupt as they were."

'They?'

Tenebrae jumped back onto the table by the window. He caught a glimpse of a marking on the table, a diagram with a missing picture. He ignored it, choosing to keep his eyes on the bandaged man.

The man looked amused. "So, you run? Or are you concerned of what I can do?"

"Neither. But I've learned to judge ones based on feeling," Tenebrae said. He could feel anger, frustration and sadness come from the man. "And I can tell you are hiding something. If you are worried about me stealing your research, don't worry. My journey is different from what I gleaned."

"Hmmm. Well than, I see no reason for you to be worried either," the man said, walking away from the door. "However, I will say this; All research leads back to the Heart. And the Heart is the most complicated force of the Worlds. They do more than you know."

Tenebrae jumped off the table. He eyed the man as he walked towards the door. When he reached it, Tenebrae turned to the man.

"My name is Tenebrae," he said. "You caught me by surprise. But I was taught to be polite regardless."

The man nodded. "You may call me DiZ. I am but a humble scientist."

"It is very nice to meet you, DiZ," Tenebrae gave his own nod. "If you'll excuse me, I'll take my leave. Had I known; I would not have entered unannounced."

DiZ just nodded as the Seeker left. Tenebrae knew he was hiding something. Not just because of his research, but his emotions. Tenebrae's hair seemed to get a reaction of pure hatred. There must have been a painful memory there.

Tenebrae left the mansion entirely. He did notice a connection to Darkness under the library itself. DiZ's appearance was too well timed to be a coincidence. But Tenebrae had to let it go. For now, Tenebrae decided to head back to town. -

* * *

A realization, and chance encounter and a new goal. Looks like things are starting to get interesting for Tenebrae. So how long before things just go south!? I won't tell yet.  
Anyway, the next chapter will have more action, cuz we get to be the ones to flesh out a mission that Shyalex_Cosplay had alluded to in her story.  
Until then, May your heart be your guiding key.


	23. Feelings and Happiness

So here we go with the next chapter. But I will give a minor spoiler: Shaylex does not make an appearance this chapter. I had a plan, but with some input from others I decided to add to it. I hope you still enjoy. LET'S GO!

* * *

Tenebrae had chosen to sleep in the woods that night. After his exploration of the mansion and his encounter with DiZ, it was close to night fall. He cleared a section of the woods to make a safe zone and got comfortable. He rested and had a peaceful dream. He was with the Wielders he met, in Daybreak Town.

The next morning, he woke up and decided to see if the Protectors were up. He thought it would be a good idea to have breakfast with them. He needed to try and get them as allies. And a good way to make allies, was to break bread.

Tenebrae walked to the apartment complex and to the Light Protectors' door. He knocked and waited. Ray opened the door; his mask was still on. The young Vulpeus looked worried. Tenebrae wasn't sure why until he looked inside.

Keval was laying on one of the couches. Tenebrae could tell, from a glance, that his Union mate was upset. Keval had an arm covering his face.

Tenebrae saw Rylan and Mojie close to him. Solas was cooking. Ray came behind him after closing the door and sat in one of the armchairs. Whatever happened, was affecting all of them.

Tenebrae walked up to Rylan and tapped his shoulder. When the Time-user looked up, Tenebrae made a silent motion away from Keval. He and Rylan went to a corner of the living room, out of earshot.

"What's wrong with him?" Tenebrae whispered.

Rylan shrugged and whispered, "Not sure. Last night, he just came back bummed. He was on the couch all last night."

Tenebrae looked over at his old Union mate. He sighed and walked to Keval. Tenebrae made a motion to Mojie, telling her to back away. When she did, Tenebrae got onto the couch, put his foot under Keval, and kicked the Lightning-user off the couch.

Rylan, Mojie, and Ray all jumped back in shock. Keval landed with a thud. The Former Unicornus stood up in a rage, electricity sparking from his body.

"I told you! I don't want to talk!" Keval was huffing before he realized who it was. "Oh Tenny. Hey bro."

Tenebrae got off the couch and stood in front of Keval. Looking in his eyes, Tenebrae saw a myriad of emotions. The biggest one though was pain.

"Come with me," Tenebrae said. He walked towards the door and opened a portal.

"Sorry, I'm not in the mood for a mission," Keval said, looking away. "Why not go with one of the others?"

"Because it's not a mission." Tenebrae walked up to Keval and grabbed his shirt. "Now come on!"

Tenebrae dragged the other Wielder through the portal. The pair exited and were in Olympus. Tenebrae deposited Keval in the courtyard and walked a distance away.

"Look, I'm not in the mood to spar," Keval sighed. He stayed sitting on the ground.

"Good thing this isn't a spar," Tenebrae said evenly.

He summoned his Keyblade and let loose a jet of purple flames. As predicted, Keval got up and dodged the flames. Tenebrae closed the distance and swung flame coated Keyblade at Keval. His old Union mate dodged out of instinct.

Tenebrae kept up the pressure, Keval only dodged and did not fight back. The Seeker could see something was distracting him. And what the distraction was, was what Tenebrae needed to know.

With a feint, he swept his leg under Keval. When the Lightning user was on the ground, Tenebrae put a foot on his chest. Kingdom Key D was in Keval's face.

"Be grateful I consider you a rival, not an enemy," Tenebrae said evenly. "If I wanted, I could have killed you."

Keval looked away as Tenebrae stepped off and back. The Seeker dismissed his Keyblade and offered a hand. Keval took it and stood up.

"What is wrong Keval?" Tenebrae asked.

"It's nothing," Keval said.

"Keval, if there is one thing I've learned from the Unions, it's how to read a person. And after my recent travels, I've learned to sense various emotions, though it's mostly anger. I know something is wrong and that's why I brought you somewhere private."

Keval looked at him with a quizzical expression. It looked like he was conflicted about telling the Seeker.

"Nothing you tell me will be heard by the others," Tenebrae reassured him. "I have no reason to trust them with any information."

Keval sighed in defeat. "I found her. I finally found her after all this time."

"Found who?" Tenebrae was genuinely curious.

"Ashley," Keval said with a smile. The smile dropped though, "Or I guess she is Shaylex now."

Tenebrae was glad Keval was looking away. The shock on his face would have given away more than it should have. He was able to school his emotions when Keval looked his way again.

"And who is Ashley to you?" The Seeker asked.

"She's…" Keval had a blush on his face. That spoke more than actual words. "She's a friend."

'No, she isn't' Tenebrae thought.

"You always were one to help your allies," Tenebrae said aloud. "But if you found her, why are you sulking?"

"She…got really mad at me." Keval sighed. "She may not have remembered me right away. And even after I helped her remember, she still chose to leave. I offered to help her go away from her group, but she chose them."

'Of course, you'd be foolish enough to try and fight them,' Tenebrae thought.

"Maybe she needs some time," Tenebrae said. "Some transitions weigh heavily on a person. I know from experience."

Keval had a small smile, which faded quickly. "Yeah, but you should have seen the sadness and anger. I just want to keep my promise."

Tenebrae knew he would. But he also knew Shaylex didn't have all her memories. Those would be the only way for her to realize her mistake. But would getting them back work in her favor?

"Just have patience," Tenebrae said. "When the time is right, you'll find her again. Who knows, maybe she'll be just as you remembered."

Keval let out a small chuckle that then turned into laughter. Tenebrae could see the tension leave Keval's body. This was the Keval he remembered. The same person who wanted to befriend an outcast like him.

"Glad to see you in a good mood," Tenebrae said, when Keval calmed down. "Because I was hoping I could take you up on your offer."

"You mean it?" Keval had stars in his eyes.

Tenebrae rolled his eyes playfully. "I'm not an official member, but I do need a place to stay. If I can pay rent instead of joining, I'd prefer that."

"Hey, I'll take it!" Keval put an arm around Tenebrae's shoulder. "It's a step in the right direction."

Tenebrae nodded as he summoned Kingdom Key D. He opened a portal back to the Light Protectors apartment. "After you."

Keval chuckled as he stepped through. Tenebrae was close behind. The pair stepped out into the apartment. The table was set, but the food was untouched. The other Protectors looked in their direction.

"Sup guys!" Keval said happily, "Who is hungry?"

The other Protectors smiled and laughed. They made room for Tenebrae as well. Keval and Tenebrae said they had an impromptu spar, and that Tenebrae would be staying with the Protectors. The reception was positive, with all of them liking the extra company. Tenebrae couldn't help the smile on his face. -

Even after two days, Tenebrae was still getting used to living with the Protectors. Tenebrae woke up from his spot on the couch. He was the only one who didn't have a room, but that was fine. The couch was comfier than the ground. Keval had volunteered his bathroom when Tenebrae needed to bathe.

Speaking of the Lightning-user, Keval was up early. The last two days, Tenebrae noticed Keval get up before everyone else. This in turn, woke him up, but it was only because his instincts from living in the Realm of Darkness.

"Whoops, sorry Tenny," Keval apologized, as the Seeker had jolted awake and had a bit of fire at the ready. "It's going to take some getting used to. Ya know, you sleeping on the couch and all."

"Same for me," Tenebrae said. He yawned before continuing. "I've been resting in the weirdest places, that this is a luxury. But even back in Daybreak, I lived alone. So, having roommates is new to me."

"Well you got us now," Keval said with a smile. "And we can be some great roommates. Speaking of, when I get back, we need to get you some new clothes and items."

"Fine." Tenebrae laid back on the couch. "I have some Munny to spare. Just don't scare me awake."

"Don't worry. I'll be back in a flash," Keval said, leaving the apartment.

Tenebrae closed his eyes and tried to rest again. Not much time had passed when he heard the other Protectors move around. He grabbed a pillow and covered his face as lights were turned on.

There was a smell of breakfast being made. Tenebrae then felt someone nudge him. He pulled the pillow off and saw Ray sleepily glaring at him. The golden mask only made him less intimidating.

"Come on~~~," the Vulpeus said, "Move~~~ I wanna sit."

Tenebrae looked to the chair off to the side and saw Mojie sitting in it. He groaned and sat up enough to let Ray sit. The young Vulpeus sat down and sprawled out best he could. Tenebrae rolled his eyes as they sat and waited.

Not long after the other got up, Keval had made it back. He had a few sacks of groceries, that Rylan took. The Lightning-user then went back into his room.

Rylan finished his cooking and set the table. When the plates were ready, Rylan called everyone to the table. To Tenebrae's surprise, Keval and Solas were at the table. Tenebrae was the only one shocked, the others sat and started to chat. Tenebrae eventually followed suit but didn't contribute much to the conversation.

When everyone finished eating, Rylan gathered everything to wash. Solas got up and walked over to lay on the couch. The others sat around with content smiles. Tenebrae had to admit, that was one of the best meals he had in a while.

"Alright!" Keval said stretching. "Momo, do you mind coming with me and Tenny to do some shopping?"

"Me?" Mojie asked. "You want me to come along?"

"Yeah Keval," Tenebrae growled at his former Union mate, "You want her to join us? I was unaware this was a group activity."

"Maybe it's because Mojie can help you find decent clothes," Ray said with a snicker. "I mean, black can only be worn so much."

Tenebrae turned to glare at the young Wielder. His eye twitched as he restrained his anger. "I don't need more clothes."

"You kind of do," Rylan spoke up, having just sat back at the table. "If that is your only set, what's going to happen when they get super dirty? I don't think anyone, yourself included, wants you walking around in your underwear until they are cleaned."

Tenebrae just growled and sat back in his chair. He heard Ray chuckled beside him, The Seeker just sighed to calm himself down.

"Fine, whatever. I don't care. But clothes come last."

"Deal," Keval said. "General Store first, then we have a fashion show."

"Yousonuva…" Tenebrae growled.

Mojie nodded and left the table. She headed to her room to change. When she came back, she wasn't in the clothes she normally wore. Instead, her hair was down, and a beanie was atop her head. She was in a black and white striped sweater, with a knee-length skirt and leggings.

"Ready!" she said with a shy smile.

"Good!" Keval cheered.

Before Tenebrae could say anything, Keval grabbed him and pulled him out the door. Mojie giggled and followed after the two Unicornus. Tenebrae struggled as Keval pulled him out of the apartment into the Shopping District.

Tenebrae was released when the trio made it to the District. Keval lead the way as the three of them shopped. The Moogle at the General Store was eager to help them find the toiletries and items needed to live. Tenebrae had become slightly overwhelmed, not having done any actual shopping in years.

Clothes shopping was a worse ordeal. When the trio entered the store, Tenebrae was overwhelmed. There were more colors than he could remember, and the entire experience was a blur. He went in and out of the changing room more than he kept count of. Mojie and Keval spoke to one another as Tenebrae kept changing outfits. Eventually, they settled on some darker colors for the Seeker.

Tenebrae collapsed immediately once the trio made it back to the apartment. Luckily, Ray, Rylan, and Solas were out, so he fell on the couch. Keval had the bags and took them to his room. Mojie was humming happily before grabbing a book. She sat on a lounge chair and started reading.

Tenebrae wasn't sure when he fell asleep. But he woke up to the smell of dinner. Rylan must have placed a plate in front of him on the coffee table, but the others were nowhere to be seen. Tenebrae must have passed out and missed dinner.

'They've done a lot for me,' he thought as he ate. 'I should do something nice for them tomorrow,' With that thought, he planned for the next day. -

Tenebrae woke up to Keval leaving early in the morning. Since it was timed right, Tenebrae was able to start his plan before the others woke up.

Quietly, he went into the kitchen and started to prep. Of course, he had no idea what he was doing. But he did see how some of the others did it. All he had to do was follow their lead.

That was his first mistake. Since Tenebrae never fully watched, nor knew how to cook, he made a mistake of breaking an egg over the pan. Pieces of the shell got into the mixture, making the Seeker agitated.

When he tried to cook some bacon and sausage, his mind wandered. He had left the flame high and ended up burning everything. None of the pieces he used were edible.

The last straw was when Tenebrae did something truly dumb. Thinking it was a good idea, he used his element to try and cook an egg. The plan worked better in theory, because as soon as the egg reached peak temperature, it exploded. Shards of eggshell embedded themselves in his face and egg yolk exploded covering his hair and face.

It took one second to realize what happened. Another to realize where the shards landed. And another still to register the pain.

"FUUUUUUUU!" Tenebrae clutched his face as the pain intensified. He was crouched in a semi-destroyed kitchen. Remnants of a disastrous attempt at a good deed.

This was the scene that Rylan, Ray and Mojie saw when they came out of their rooms. The three Wielders looked at the scene with various reactions. Tenebrae just looked at them, in too much pain to say anything. When Keval came back and saw everything, he just chuckled and got everyone on the same page.

Ray and Rylan were tasked with cleaning up the kitchen and making breakfast. Mojie was tasked with cleaning and healing Tenebrae. Keval luckily had more groceries that the other two guys used.

"So, I think it's safe to say," Keval chuckled and scratched the back of his head, "That it's probably a good idea you don't cook until you get some lessons."

"Fair." Tenebrae didn't argue. He did wince each time Mojie removed a shard of eggshell.

Ray spoke up from the kitchen. "You know, speaking of lessons; have you ever tried flying?"

"Flying?" Tenebrae was curious what the Vulpeus was talking about.

"Oh yeah," Mojie said with a smile, "The World, Neverland. You're able to fly. We should go!"

"Yeah, after breakfast, Munchkin and I can show ya," Ray said. "It'll be interesting."

"Something tells me I can't say no," Tenebrae said. "Fine, I don't see the harm."

"Yay!" Mojie cheered. She quickly finished patching him up. Her mood seemed lifted with the idea.

Ray and Rylan set the table, and everyone ate. The ordeal from Tenebrae's attempt was the main point of conversation. Of course, Tenebrae was embarrassed throughout it, but was fine with talking.

When they finished eating, Ray and Mojie went to change into their mission gear. Mojie was the one to open the portal to the World. She jumped through first, with Ray and Tenebrae following behind. They exited in front of a lone tree in the center of a forest clearing. The tree in question seemed to be hollowed out and had various odd-looking doors on it.

"Hey Peter!" Ray called out, "Are you home?"

A voice, sounding almost like an imitation of a rooster, came from above. The sudden sound caused Tenebrae to get on the defensive. Ray and Mojie didn't seem worried, the former waving to the air. Tenebrae tried to relax a bit.

A young man with pointed ears and light brown hair, descended from the sky. He had on a green hat and tunic, dark green leggings and brown felt shoes. He landed in front of the trio.

"Well hey there Ray, Mojie," the young man said. "Fancy seeing the two of you back so soon. What brings you to Neverland?"

"We have a friend we wanted to help to fly," Mojie said. "This is Tenebrae."

"Nice to meet ya, Tenebrae. I'm Peter, Peter Pan," the young man said. "Any friends of these two is welcome to Neverland."

"Nice to meet you as well," Tenebrae said, nodding to Peter. "Though I wouldn't call us friends. They are allies with a similar cause. And they happen to be allowing me to stay at their apartment."

"Geez dude," Ray said, acting like he was hurt. "Either way, we thought it would be nice for him to relax. So, we thought you could help us teach him to fly. Think you can?"

"I don't see why not," Peter said. "What do you think, Tink? Can we let him?"

Tenebrae raised his eyebrow. There was no one near Peter when he said the new name. Tenebrae looked around before he felt a force hit him in the back of his head. He turned around and saw nothing behind him, except a trail of light going past him. When he turned back, there was a ball of light near Peter.

"Hey Tink, that's no way to treat a guest," Peter scolded the light. "We're going to help him fly." Tenebrae heard something similar to bells, before Peter spoke again, "Well then, introduce yourself and maybe he'll be able. This is Tinkerbell. She is a fairy."

The ball of light flew in front of Tenebrae. Inside the light was a small woman. Her skin was pale, almost glowing. Her blonde hair was up in a bun and her blue eyes were glaring at him. She was wearing a short green dress with slippers to match. A white puffball was on the toes of each shoe. A pair of translucent wings were on her back.

Tenebrae's mind was running with many theories. And the term Peter used, fairy, was not one he heard before. With how small she was and shining, Tenebrae chalked it up the Magic of the World.

A swift kick to Tenebrae's nose brought him back to reality. He gripped his face in pain and screamed. He could hear Ray and Peter laughing, and Mojie trying to hold in a giggle. He looked over to Tinkerbell and saw her smirking with her arms crossed.

"You little…" Tenebrae growled.

"Now, now, Tink," Peter said, getting his laugh under control. "I'm sure he didn't mean to stare. Maybe he just thought you were pretty."

Tinkerbell flew over to Peter. It sounded like she was making angry bell noises. Peter was laughing it off and trying to calm her down.

"What's her deal?" Tenebrae asked rubbing his nose.

"Dude, you were staring ate her," Ray said, laughing. "And she started to get embarrassed. So, she kicked ya."

"Why were you staring?" Mojie asked.

"I've never seen anything like her," Tenebrae confessed. "And since she is surrounded by light, it made my mind go into research mode."

"Alright, now that Tink has calmed down," Peter said to the Wielders, "Let's get this show on the road. Tink, if you would."

Tinkerbell flew towards Ray and Mojie. The same light that surrounded her sprinkled over the two young Wielders. When the light turned into a dust like substance, it attached to the two. Within seconds, Ray and Mojie started levitating off the ground. Ray took off into the sky, laughing and cheering as he flew. Mojie was a bit more reserved, but she was smiling as she flew over the treeline.

"Looking good you two," Peter said, flying up to the two Wielders, the same dust coming from him. "I keep forgetting how natural you guys are."

"Come on Tenebrae," Ray called, after stopping his flight. "Get up here."

"How?" Tenebrae growled. "If you didn't notice, the little firefly stayed away from me. She didn't use whatever that is on me."

"Tink?" Peter looked at the fairy. "Why didn't you sprinkle any on the new guy?" The fairy made some bell noises. "He was intrigued with you. Maybe that means he believes in you. That's the first step, now give him some pixie dust."

The fairy pouted defiantly for a moment. She seemed to huff and flew down to Tenebrae. Tinkerbell glared at him, before flying around him. The same dust that surrounded Ray and Mojie landed on him.

"So, what now?" he asked.

"Uh, you fly?" Ray said it as if that was the obvious answer.

Tenebrae growled, but put a hand to his face. It did no good to get upset, Ray was only trying to help.

"Is there a trick?" Tenebrae asked. "I can't tell if this is working or not.

Peter landed right in front of the Seeker. "There is no trick. Just believe and have faith. So long as you think happy thoughts, it would be the same as having wings."

'Happy thoughts?' Tenebrae thought, closing his eyes. 'Do I even have any? At best, my happy thoughts were when I was researching in the Library. But after learning it was isolation, it became sour. I don't have friends, so that's not a happy one. At best, my happiest thought… is of Laci."

"There you go!" he heard Peter say. "Guess you're a natural like the other two."

Tenebrae opened his eyes and looked to Peter. However, that took his eyes down to the ground. And the ground was several feet away. His train of thought stopped, and he started to flail in the air. The descent and following impact had the other three wincing. Tinkerbell seemed to be enjoying everything.

Mojie flew down to Tenebrae. "Are you okay? You were doing so well. And you got pretty high."

"Yeah, I noticed," Tenebrae said, pushing himself up. He sat back and rubbed his face. "And that's why I fell. I didn't realize I had left the ground. I was just trying to find a happy thought."

Ray landed next to Mojie. His smirk was condescending. "So, what was your happy thought?"

"Not one I'm sharing with you," Tenebrae growled. "But I think I figured it out."

Tenebrae jumped and tried to fly. Instead, he just landed in the same spot. He tried again, but to the same result. Tenebrae spared a glance to the others, all the humans trying to hold back laughing.

Peter recovered first. "It's not about thoughts; it's about feelings. You need to be happy, and the dust will do the rest."

"Feelings?"

Tenebrae realized he hadn't felt genuinely happy in a long time. The only time he could recall was back in the Unions. Getting his Keyblade and joining Unicornus. It was definitely the happiest time in his life, but now it was filled with pain. It was the desire to be better that made him see Keval as a rival. It was his desire for knowledge that had him in the Library.

Everything after only caused more turmoil. He realized his emotions spiked at various times when he talked with different people. But not once had it been genuine happiness or joy.

Tenebrae sighed. And then, he had a thought. His love for Laci. She was the last thought before Peter spoke tp him. She was one of the brightest Lights in his life. That was the feeling he chose to focus on.

Tenebrae felt his feet leave the ground. He looked down but focused on his feelings.

"There we go!" Peter cheered.

"Now I'm really curious to what his happy thought was," Ray said with a grin. "Cuz that face is red like a tomato."

Tenebrae knew that his face was warm. He had hoped that it wasn't obvious. But by the looks of Ray and Mojie's smiles, it was. And that was what caused his next action.

'Imagine I have wing,' Tenebrae thought. He picked a random direction and willed himself to forward.

Tenebrae was propelled through the trees, hitting each one as he went. He quickly approached a break in the trees. He easily moved between the cliffs that appeared and out into a clearing. Tenebrae stopped above what looked to be a campsite. A large totem pole could be seen in the center.

"You got pretty far for a first try," Peter's voice came from behind. He, Ray and Mojie flew up towards Tenebrae.

Ray grinned. "I give the entire performance a 7. Gotta avoid those trees dude."

"Shush you," Tenebrae growled. He flew around a little more. "I will admit, this is pretty nice. Flying is pretty liberating."

"Tink?" Peter looked at the fairy. "What are you planning?"

Tenebrae didn't have time to ask what that meant. He noticed the dust around him disappear. The moment there was no more dust, Tenebrae fell. Luckily, he was over water, but he was still falling quickly. He tried to use some Wind magic to try and slow his descent. It didn't help as much because the resulting splash was still fairly large.

Tenebrae heard laughing as he broke the surface. He looked up and glared at Ray and Peter. The two were having a laughing fit. Mojie was bit more reserved, but still giggling.

"That isn't funny!" Tenebrae shouted up. "What if I got hurt?"

Peter flew down to the water. "Aww don't sweat it. Tink wouldn't do that. That's why it ended above the water."

'Yeah a good half mile in the air,' Tenebrae thought. 'If I hadn't acted, I would have gotten hurt.'

Tenebrae rolled his eyes. "Then can you give me back the ability?"

"Tink?" Peter asked the fairy.

Tinkerbell flew down to Tenebrae and let the dust settle over him. When he felt the magic take hold, he slowly flew out of the water.

Luckily for his sanity, the rest of the day was spent getting pointers. Tenebrae, Ray, Mojie, Peter and Tinkerbell all flew around the woods. Tenebrae was able to relax and enjoy the Light around him. It felt nice. -

* * *

So quick thanks to Aya and Mojie_Cosplay! The first part with Keval was planned, but after speaking and RPing with the Protectors, they had suggested adding a little thing with Neverland. And this beauty was born! It was fun to write and I hope they liked how I portrayed their Protectors.

Hope you guys enjoyed, and I'll see you all in the next chapter.


	24. Spooks and Halloween

Alright everyone, we are back to or regularly scheduled fanfic. I hope you enjoyed the fluffiness of the last one, and expect a little more comedy and action this time. And hey, Shaylex makes a return.  
So let's get on with the story.

* * *

After the mishap and following relaxing flight in Neverland, the three Wielders made it back to the apartment. Tenebrae was dry, luckily, but his mood wasn't all positive. He was still thinking about the entire day.

'Happy thoughts and friends?' he thought as he headed to Keval's room. 'Been a while since I thought or had either. Oh well, better get cleaned up.'

Tenebrae washed up and put on some lounge clothes. He went to the couch and sat. Ray and Mojie already sat around and waited. It wasn't long before the other three Protectors came back home.

Ray and Rylan had worked together to make dinner. Ray had on a smug look when the food was done. Tenebrae could tell the younger Wielder was going to lord over his skill to the Seeker.

After everyone ate, Tenebrae laid on the couch and tried to sleep. His thoughts shifted to Laci as he drifted to slumber. -

Over the next few days, Tenebrae tried to keep his mind occupied. After the Neverland mission, he went on one with Shaylex. He kept her name secret as he left the apartment. The following day, he decided to train with the Light Protectors, telling the Nobody he would be with other allies. Luckily, she never questioned him.

However, on the few missions he did with Shaylex, he noticed her attention was split. Tenebrae had guessed it had to do with her encounter with Keval. He knew better than to speak about it though. He hoped she would improve, but there was a sense the distraction was getting worse. At least she hasn't gotten herself hurt or flubbed up her mission.

On the seventh day after he moved in with the Protectors, Tenebrae got ready for his day. After gearing up, he opened a portal to Shaylex's World. He learned it was called the World That Never Was.

At the time, it was a weird name. But he guessed it had something to do with the Nobodies. He still couldn't tell what the connection to the name was though.

Tenebrae approached the castle after striking down some Heartless. He leaned against one of the buildings, while he waited for his Partner. As he waited on the Nobody, he let his mind wander.

'So much time I've spent alone,' he thought. 'Before the War, my only friend was Chirithy. And I guess, before I learned my feelings, Laci could be the closest to a friend. I had such distain for Keval back then, but what about now? He and I are much closer now, but does that count? I know the other Protectors don't trust me enough, but it seems like we are warming up to each other. And last is Shayex.' He looked up as he heard a portal open and the blonde Nobody stepped out. 'What can I even call our relationship?'

"Morning Shaylex," he said.

"Good morning," Shaylex had a bigger smile than normal on. "You aren't going to believe it! I'm finally able to go alone. No observation today."

"Oh? So, it's just you and I today?" Tenebrae was relieved, that meant she was earning their trust.

Shaylex nodded. "Yep and our mission is in a World called Halloweentown. It's supposed to be pretty scary."

"We literally fight the embodiment of Darkness," Tenebrae said with a raised eyebrow. "While fighting for our life. There isn't much worse that can scare us."

"True," she said, tapping her chin, "But, hey, they say it's where all of Halloween originates. So, all of the spooky things are because of that World."

"Halloween? Never heard of it."

"Well, let's have a look." Shaylex summoned her Keyblade and opened a portal. "Let's go."

The pair stepped through the portal. When they exited, they were met with an interesting sight. The pair was surrounded by blacks and purples in the landscape. The moon shone brightly against the night sky. They seemed to have been deposited near an entryway. Multiple lamps lined a pair of stone walls that lead to a large ominous gate.

"Well," Tenebrae said, looking ahead. "What is our…"

Tenebrae licked his teeth. His canines were longer, which was why he stopped talking. He went to pull at his teeth and noticed his hand had a bit of fur on it. The fur on his fingers were silver, with black fur on the backs and palms. The fur continued up his arms, being silver again but darker. He still had his jacket on, but it was ripped and sleeveless. His goggles were still on his chest. Looking down, he noticed his chest was covered in black fur and, luckily, he still had on his pants. His feet, though, lacked shoes. Instead they were hairy, but he felt something akin to soles at the base of his feet.

'What the hell?' he thought, as he looked himself over.

"Aww, you look kinda cute Tenebrae," he heard Shaylex say.

He glared at her and was about to shout. His voice died quickly as he looked Shaylex over.

Luckily, she was still wearing her organization coat, but it was open. He wasn't sure what she normally wore, but he was sure it wasn't her current attire. Her outfit consist of formfitting, black skinny jeans and black boots. She had a purple shirt on that had the Nobody symbol on the chest, and a dark purple corset to add the image. Where her ears were supposed to be, there were black bat wings. It looked like her canine teeth had grown as well. Her violet eyes almost shined in the moonlight.

Tenebrae felt his face grow warm. He wasn't sure why he was seeing her differently. He had enough sense to notice something flatten on his head and something stick out from his tailbone.

"What's wrong?" Shaylex smirked. "Puppy got your tongue?"

"What the hell are you wearing!?" he shouted.

The Nobody looked down, taking in her appearance. She looked shocked for a split second before shrugging.

"Hey, if you got it, flaunt it," she giggled.

Tenebrae growled, which sounded deeper than normal. He placed a hand on the wall and used an ice spell. He froze a section of the wall to make a mirror. He examined his features. His face didn't change much, but his hair was longer and more shaggy than normal. Poking out from the mess of silver were two wolf ears. They twitched as he noticed them move based on his emotions. He turned around and saw a silver tail start from his tailbone.

'So, I know a lot of Worlds have special magic,' he thought as he melted the ice. 'Magic to protect the Order of it. But we still have humanoid figures. And Shaylex didn't change much besides those bat ears.'

He watched his partner admire herself. She was messing with the bat ears and giggling. Shaylex was at least enjoying their new forms.

"Well it's your mission," Tenebrae said, getting her attention. "Lead the way."

Shaylex nodded before heading to the gate. Tenebrae was not too far behind her.

On the other side of the gate was a town. Everything had a dark aesthetic that seemed to have been bred from nightmares. Even the fountain had an oddly terrifying fountain spewing green liquid. There was even a guillotine close by. This place was truly terrifying.

'This place could give the Realm of Darkness a run for its Munny. Though the Realm of Darkness had more in the way of gloom,' Tenebrae thought as the pair walked close to the fountain.

Tenebrae noticed a fence blocked off part of the courtyard. He instead decided to look at the water in the fountain.

"We should be careful," Shaylex warned. "Especially if you haven't been to a World before."

"I've spent many years in a place that nearly killed me," Tenebrae said with a smirk. "I'm quite sure I'm prepared for anything here."

Tenebrae looked into the fountain. He saw his own reflection at first. It slowly distorted until it was a skull. And the skull looked to be getting bigger.

The skull splashed out of the fountain, which caused Tenebrae to scream in shock and stumble back. The skull was connected to a tall, lanky… skeleton!? A figure with no skin or features was standing in the fountain. He, or at least it looked male, was dressed in a pinstriped suit. His skeletal face was contorted in a way that was frightening.

"Wha…wha… What the hell are you!?" Tenebrae screamed in shock. This was the last thing he expected.

"Yes! I've still got it!" The skeleton said with a grin. The smile itself was unusual, since the actual skull was moving. "Even newcomers tremble at my majesty."

Shaylex was hysterical. She was laughing and crying as Tenebrae scurried away. The Seeker stood up and glared at his partner. His tail puffed out a bit, causing Shaylex to laugh harder.

"I'll destroy you!" he warned.

"Now, now," the skeleton said. "It's just a simple greeting. Welcome to Halloween Town." The skeleton made a grand gesture, as if to show off the spooky town. "I'm Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King!" Jack gave a bow.

"Yeah, screw that!" Tenebrae said, summoning his Keyblade. "Last thing I need is this."

"Oh! That looks like Sora's peculiar weapon," Jack said with a grin.

Both Wielders were shocked. Tenebrae spared a glance to Shaylex. The Nobody seemed to have a range of emotions on her face. He remembered her saying Sora was on the island she came from. She even mentioned him being in Traverse Town after the island fell.

'What is so special about him?' Tenebrae thought as he looked back to Jack. 'I've heard and seen his name in various places. This Sora.'

"So, you've seen my weapon before?" Tenebrae got everyone's attention. He noticed Shaylex snap out of her stupor. "Then I guess it's easier than having to explain. Are you aware of creatures called Heartless?"

"Yes indeed." The smile Jack had on was concerning. "In fact, before Sora came, I was trying to use them for Halloween. But the experiment failed and the device we used was stolen. But Sora helped to resolve that. Luckily, while they do attack, there aren't as many as before."

"That's good to hear," Shaylex said. She giggled as she continued, "Well my partner here can do just as good, if not better, than this Sora."

'I already showed my hand,' Tenebrae thought, catching on Shaylex's deception. 'She doesn't need to let this Jack know she has knowledge like this. Either that she knows Sora or his Keyblade.'

"Where have the Heartless been gathering the most?" Tenebrae asked. "I would like to see if there is a way to diminish their numbers."

"Well the graveyard seems to be teeming with them." Jack made a face when he said it. "And they also collect around the sight of Oogie Boogie's old Manor. I would say those are the best places to check."

"Will do," Tenebrae said with a nod. "Let's go, Partner."

Tenebrae and Shaylex walked away. They looked back as Jack was waving at the pair. They made a turn around a wall and saw some stone steps lead to a gate.

When they were on the other side, Tenebrae spoke. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"

"Do you mean your scare when Jack appeared?" Shaylex asked with a smirk.

Tenebrae had toe hold down his rage. "No. More your reaction to Sora's name. I was unaware he wielded a Keyblade. Did you know?"

Shaylex looked to be deciding what to say. Eventually, she nodded. "I knew. I just hadn't expected someone to know him, outside of my old friends."

"I see." Tenebrae turned to the scene in front of him. Sinister lamp post lined a large alley, which had a large coffin at the end. "Well, let's get your mission started."

Shaylex nodded as she walked forward. When the Heartless appeared, the pair took care of them with ease. Even with their new forms, it was easy to fight. The battle was therapeutic for the Seeker.

When the Heartless fell, both Wielders took a breath of relief. Tenebrae looked around the area. There were the multiple lampposts, a floating platform, and the coffin. All the items were spooky in some way.

There didn't seem to be a way to proceed. They were in a dead end. And going back didn't seem like it was going to yield the much either.

"Hm? What's this?" Shaylex walked to the platform. She looked at it closely. "Hey, there seems to be a torch here. And it looks like it was recently lit. Want to try it out?"

"I don't see the harm." Tenebrae walked to the platform and used a fire spell. He put the flame in the torch and the platform started to rise. "Well, what do you know?"

When the platform lowered, the two Wielders jumped onto it. The platform took them high enough for them to jump over the wall. They landed in a completely different area. Many tombstones seemed to surround a large, curled hill. There were a couple of doors off to the side.

"This place just gets weirder," Shaylex said, "And I don't sense many Heartless."

"Well, we should still look," Tenebrae suggested, "If anything, we can find a way to go to the next area."

Shaylex and Tenebrae went on opposite sides of the hill. The Seeker examined most of the tombstones. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary with them.

"Hey!" Shaylex called from the hill. "Come look at this."

Tenebrae walked up to the Nobody. She was pointing to something attached to the hill. It looked almost like a cross between a tombstone and a crystal. Something felt odd about it.

"What are the chances it's helpful?" Shaylex asked.

"About the same as if it was dangerous," Tenebrae answered. "Normally, I'd say leave it, but I'm curious what it does."

Shaylex nodded and reached for the object. Before she could touch it, the hill started to unfurl. It made a bridge over the wall in front of it. The device must have been linked to magic since no physical contact was needed.

"And that makes this place spooky," Shaylex said.

"It made a path at least," Tenebrae said. He jumped onto the hill. "Come on, we have another location to investigate."

Shaylex nodded and followed behind. The two Wielders crossed the hill and jumped into the next area. They landed in a wide area where water could be heard. A bridge connected the land to a large gate.

Before the pair had a chance to move, Heartless appeared. Theses seemed a bit stronger, looking like horrific mummies and ghosts. Both Wielders summoned their Keyblades and rushed the Heartless. The mummies were aggressive, giving Tenebrae a good workout. Shaylex focused on the ghosts, who appeared and disappeared at random.

One of the Heartless had jumped towards the bridge. Tenebrae gave chase and was able to strike it down with ease. He smirked and relaxed as he turned to Shaylex.

"Look out!" he heard her shout.

The warning came too late. A small pumpkin bomb appeared in his face. It exploded on impact, causing the Seeker to stumble back into the gate. It didn't stay closed as Tenebrae tripped. It didn't take long before Tenebrae fell over an edge.

He saw three small individuals laughing at him as he fell. They each wore a mask, that they removed to make faces at him. The last thing he saw was them run and Shaylex reaching over the edge. He impacted something and blacked out. -

* * *

And... Cliffhanger! Well a planned cliffhanger. And I hope you all are enjoying the change of scenery.  
Will Tenebrae survive Halloween Town? I guess we'll find out next time!


	25. Confusion and Coffins

And welcome back! We continue on from the cliffhanger from last time. So i hope you all enjoy.

Oh! And a new (for you all) OC one of the Protectors own, will be making and appearance this time. Enjoy!

* * *

Tenebrae groaned as he woke up. He blinked and was surprised to see himself in Daybreak Town. He had woken up near the fountain.

Tenebrae looked in the water. He looked exactly as he had before the War. He took a step back in shock.

'No! No way!' Tenebrae grabbed his head. 'This isn't real. This place is a Graveyard. How am I here!?'

"Tenni?" The voice shocked him. He turned and saw Laci smiling at him. She walked up to him. "There you are! I Know they can be a lot, but you don't need to run from the Light Protectors."

'She knows the Light Protectors?' Tenebrae shook his head in thought. 'She knew Keval, and he IS their leader. It should have been obvious.'

"I'm just not used to the group," he said, looking off to the side. "Keval and I still aren't on the best terms. But I'm doing my best."

Laci giggled as she patted his cheeks. "You're both making an effort, and I'm glad you are. Keval is one of few who are my friends. And I want the two of you to get along."

Tenebrae felt a wave of happiness when she held him. It was soothing and warm. But it felt wrong. 'This can't be real. This is weird.'

"I know Laci," Tenebrae said, with a smile. "But years of animosity can't be changed in a few days. But thank you for being patient with me."

Laci giggled and grabbed his hands. "You are special to me as well. And Lucky says I've gotten brighter with you around. Now come on."

Tenebrae let her take him away. He chose not to fight back. He was happy just being with her. But things were still weird. There was a lingering feeling.

The two of them made it to a spot Tenebrae didn't recognize. He did recognize the people. He noticed Keval, Cetus and Rylan. Off to the side, he saw Mojie, Ray and Solas. There were a few others he didn't quite recognize, two women and a young man. There was one he saw with Keval that shocked him.

"Shaylex!?" Tenebrae basically shouted.

The blonde young woman looked at him confused. "No Tenebrae, it's Ashley. You know Laci's Union mate and friend."

He clutched his head. A sharp pain went through his head. It went away as fast as it came, and he shook it off.

"Right. My mistake. I must have been spending too many nights in the Library. I'm a bit tired."

Keval came up and put his arm around Tenebrae. "Even with Laci, you still spend so much time in the Library. Come on dude, you have friends now."

'Friends?' Tenebrae's head hurt again. He clutched it as the pain got worse. A buzzing noise got louder as the pain increased. 'I have friends?'

"Tenni?" Laci grabbed his face and ad him look at her. She smiled at him and the pain subsided. "We are all friends."

Tenebrae felt tears run down his face, which shocked Keval and Laci. He grabbed Laci's hands and pulled them away. Her hands were so warm, and he regretted letting them go.

"This isn't right," he said.

"Tenni"? Laci asked, confused.

"You okay?" Keval asked him.

"This isn't real!" Tenebrae shouted before turning to run.

He didn't look back as he heard his name called. The pain returned and it was worse than before. But he chose to keep running.

The scene changed as he ran. The peaceful scene started to change into a warzone. The buildings around him began to crumble. The colors of Daybreak Town started to become dusty and brown. He stopped and was in the Keyblade graveyard. All the lifeless Keys taunted him.

"Why didn't you stay?" he heard his own voice, but darker. "It was all we could have wanted. Look at all that Light."

Tenebrae turned and saw… himself? Or at least his current self. The silver hair and red eyes mocked him. Tenebrae couldn't help but growl.

"Because it isn't real," Tenebrae said. "If I never left, we wouldn't have learned what we have."

"At what cost?" The Seeker version rebuked. "We could have learned and had what we lost. But no wonder we fell to the Darkness," The Seeker version pointed at him, "You are weak, and the Darkness took advantage. Light will never be our ally."

"That's not true!" Tenebrae shouted. "I just need more time! I'm close, I know I am."

"So, you choose to run?" The Seeker version walked up to him. "We will never get what we desire. Because YOU are too much of a coward."

Tenebrae felt a Keyblade strike his chest. He looked down and saw Kingdom Key D in his chest. There was little pain, but he looked up to find the Seeker version. It was gone.

Tenebrae fell forward. There was no pain, but a feeling. When he should have hit ground, he just kept falling. He closed his eyes as he fell and felt a shift. -

Tenebrae sat up quickly and coughed. He looked around and saw the aesthetics of Halloween Town. He noticed the fur on his arms and felt his ears and tail. He reached the back of his head and felt wet head. Luckily, there wasn't much blood, but he was sitting in a river of sorts.

He got up and took in his surroundings. It was a vast open area; the only landmarks were a small stone wall that was around a broken gate. The river he was in ran from two caves.

'Okay, so I came here with Shaylex,' he thought, 'We came to this World for her mission. We were hunting the Heartless and made it to the most recent area. But something struck me and caused me to fall. And I know who to hurt.'

Tenebrae walked into the open area. He felt the presence of a barrier, like in Traverse Town. 'This is just like before. Someone came here and sealed it. But the only Wielder who came here, before Shaylex and I, was Sora. But how did he know how to do it?'

"Who are you?" a feminine voice called.

Tenebrae flinched and turned to the voice. It belonged to a young woman, no older than him. She had green hair with black bangs. The yellow eyes worried him as the woman stared at him. She had similar features to his, having a black tail and green ears, but less fur. And there were two black horns atop her head. Overall, she had a humanoid look to her.

Tenebrae could sense Darkness coming from this one. If she was a Heartless, then she was sentient like Hashley. She could just be a denizen of the World, but something was off about her.

"Simply a traveler," he said. "I was passing through and didn't know the location. I must have gotten lost."

"You're lost too?" the woman asked. "No, you got blasted by the troublemakers. They always do that. But maybe you're lost for another reason, like me?"

"Like you?" Tenebrae wasn't sure what she meant.

Instead of a verbal answer, pillars of ice shot towards him. He dodged to the side to avoid the icicles. He barely had time to react, before a ball of ice came flying at him.

"Screw this!" Tenebrae channeled his element and sent a purple fireball at the ice.

The two elements collided and exploded. Tenebrae turned his attention to the young woman. She was staring at the aftermath with a weird look of glee. She noticed him staring and looked panicked.

"I am Coshette," she said, after a she calmed down. "And I don't think I want to fight you now. Go through there and you'll make it back to the gate up there."

The woman, Coshette, pointed to the cave where the river flowed downstream into it. Tenebrae wasn't sure about the change of demeanor, but he took his chance. He walked to where she was pointing, keeping his eye on the individual.

Tenebrae jumped into the river. Before he walked through the cave, he looked over to Coshette.

"If we are being cordial," he said, "then my name is Tenebrae. I hope we never meet again."

Tenebrae entered the cave and followed the river. He felt the change in the elevation as he proceeded. It took a while, but he eventually saw an end.

Tenebrae was standing in a waterway, directly under a bridge. It was the same bridge where he was forced off. There were a few ledges close by. He used those to make it to the level above him.

He prepared for a fight but sensed no heartless. He proceeded to the wall he and Shaylex had come over before. He saw the hill unfurl and make a path. He jumped onto it and made it to the next area.

'Now where to go?' Tenebrae thought. 'I need to find Shaylex so we can finish up. But I've never been to this World.'

Tenebrae walked to the coffin looking decoration and examined it. He wasn't sure what to make of it. It was well designed and sculpted.

When he went to reach for it, the door swung open. Tenebrae had no time to react, as an orange object impacted his face and blew up. The force of the blast knocked him back on his ass. But he had enough sense to see three small individuals run past him. They were dressed as a devil, a witch, and a skeleton.

"You!" he growled at the trio.

"Oh no!" they said in unison. They ran to another coffin and jumped through.

Before Tenebrae could get up to give chase, someone landed on top of him. He hadn't realized the door behind him opened again. And now there was someone sitting on his back.

"OW! Sorry, still getting used to those," the voice was familiar.

Tenebrae turned his head and saw Shaylex. The Nobody was rubbing her head, trying to get her bearings. Whatever just happened must have messed with her senses.

"I don't remember agreeing to be your landing pad," he scoffed.

Shaylex down at him and gasped. She jumped off him and had a look of relief. "Tenebrae! You're alive!"

Tenebrae got to his feet and stretched. "It'll take more than a fall like that to do me in. Besides, I saw three little brats who need to be punished."

"Oh good, you saw them," Shaylex said. "After I lost you, those three did everything they could to get me away. They weren't violent, just obnoxious."

"Then let's go get some answers," Tenebrae said, heading for the decoration the trio went to.

"Right!" Shaylex was right behind him.

The pair made it to the coffin and Tenebrae opened the door. He didn't hear Shaylex's warning as both were pulled through by an invisible force. Tenebrae fell forward as the two landed, him on the ground first and Shaylex on top of him. He groaned as the Nobody got off him.

"I was going to warn you," she said, "Those things are tricky. I guess you need to be part of the World to know the trick."

"Noted," he said as he stood up and looked at the scene. "And no sign of the troublemakers."

"Honestly, I say good riddance," Shaylex said, stretching. "They only got in the way and we need to keep fighting Heartless. I haven't been here, so we should be able to find some."

On cue, some Heartless appeared. More than the last time swarmed around. There were a small army of Shadows, some Gargoyles, a few Search Ghosts, and some Wight Knights. The Two Wielders summoned their Keyblades and prepared to face the swarm. The presence of the Keyblade caused the swarm to attack.

Tenebrae coated Kingdom Key D in flames as he rushed in. He felt Shaylex's mana spike as well, Wind magic being channeled through Love's Promise. The pair used their respective elements. Tenebrae slashed through the Heartless on the ground, his flames burning others close by. He saw Shaylex's wind knock down the ones in the air. They combined both magic and efforts when the Heartless numbered thinned. A flaming whirlwind took out the remaining Heartless.

"And that is my quota," Shaylex said, stretching. "And no sign of the troublemakers."

"Better off for them," Tenebrae said. "Last thing I need is another annoyance."

Shaylex giggled. "Well, I say we head back. But how?"

Tenebrae walked to another coffin. It wasn't the one they entered from, so he thought it was safe. He leaned against it and crossed his arms. He tried to think, but felt the doors open behind him. Tenebrae stumbled back but didn't hit ground.

Tenebrae felt the gravity shift as he was thrown forward. He was ejected from a closed space. Tenebrae landed face first on the ground.

He sat up quickly, clutching his face. "OW! Seriously what the fuck!? This place is beyond messed up!"

Tenebrae looked around. He recognized the lamp posts from the alley he and Shaylex had been to. He saw the gate the two had first come through. Turning around, Tenebrae noticed the coffin.

'That must be what I came out of,' he thought as he backed away. 'Must be a way to cause fear and terror. But why is it so annoying?'

Tenebrae noticed the coffin shake. He jumped back a bit more, not wanting anymore surprises. Luckily, Shaylex popped out the coffin, landing nimbly on her feet. She looked around before noticing Tenebrae.

"Oh, I guess that was a shortcut," she giggled. "When you fell through, I had wanted to warn you. But your face was too hilarious."

Tenebrae growled and looked away. "Well we finished up, right? Let's get out of here."

"Fine, fine," Shaylex said, walking by him. "Let's head back to where we came from."

Tenebrae nodded and followed. They walked through the gate and into the town square. Nothing seemed different, but Tenebrae saw a glimpse of Jack as the two Wielders headed back to the entrance of the town. Tenebrae thought he felt a special Darkness but ignored it as he walked ahead. The Seeker failed to notice a black tentacle claw that appeared and disappeared underground.

Shaylex opened a portal when the pair made it back to their starting point. She stepped through first. Tenebrae was right behind her. Tenebrae felt the magic dissipate as he and Shaylex reverted to their original forms.

Back in the World That Never Was, Shaylex stretched as the two exited the portal. Tenebrae was out a second later. He spared a glance to the giant white castle. He made a noise of disgust and turned to leave.

"Hey, Tenebrae," Shaylex called out. "I know you have your own plans, but we should do another mission tomorrow. What do you say?"

"Couldn't hurt." He looked back, bored. "I didn't have any plans. See you tomorrow then." He walked deeper into the black city, waving behind him to his Partner. -

* * *

And there we go, some action, some drama, and the Power of Friendship!!! Okay maybe not that last part.

However, I would like to say thank you to another Protector in out group for letting me use Coshette. They go by Afterlifeprincess on TikTok, and have amazing OCs you all need to check out. I wonder if you guys noticed or not, but I'll keep it secret until you do.

Until then, I'll catch you all in the next chapter!


	26. Questions and Friendships

**And here we are at the next one! I'm getting excited for how the next few chapters are going to go. But there is a surprise in this one, if you haven't already read Shaylex_Cosplays "A New Destiny". If you have, then you know why I'm excited! Let's go!**

* * *

Tenebrae exited his portal into the Light Protectors' apartment. It was late at night, and the others seemed to have been in bed. The table was cleaned, save for one plate.

He had a small smile as he sat down. It was refreshing to have friends…allies, who were watching out for him. While he still wasn't an official member, they still treated him like a friend. Tenebrae was grateful for the invitation.

When he finished heating, he went to clean his dish. He let his mind wander as he did.

'What is stopping me? They are a constant source of Light. And I don't have the urge to abandon them.' He clutched his chest with a soapy hand. 'So why can't I call them my friends? What is the concern?'

Tenebrae rinsed off and put away his dishes. After drying off himself, and the sink, he walked back to the couch. He laid back and tried to sleep. Once again, he dreamed of the Light Protectors and Wielders he met, but with the three unknowns he saw in Halloween Town.

One looked to be a young man with short pinkish hair and a beanie. Next to him, there was a young woman with shoulder-length pink hair. And the last new face was a young woman with long brown hair. No other features were there, but there was a feeling of camaraderie from the dream.

When Tenebrae woke the next morning, he was coughing. He sat up and rubbed his head. The Light in him was growing again. He needed to do something quick.

Tenebrae saw Keval leave his room and head out the door. Tenebrae was always surprised when Keval left so early to exercise and still have so much energy for missions. But it worked for him too.

Tenebrae walked into Keval's room. He grabbed his toiletries and went to take a shower. As he washed up, he used his magic to clean his clothes. He picked up the trick from Mojie, but it helped that his clothes were linked to his own mana.

When he cleaned up and exited the shower, he was back in his mission gear. He exited Keval's room and saw no one was awake. He went to the pantry and grabbed something quick. He'd rather not explain why he was leaving so early.

Tenebrae opened a portal to Shaylex's World. As the missions went on with the Nobody, Tenebrae found himself subconsciously putting his portals closer to the castle. Luckily, he wasn't stupid enough to open one near it. He did open today's portal at the giant skyscraper.

He leaned on it as he thought, 'What is with these dreams and visions? First in Halloween Town and again last night. Who were those three? Do I know them?'

The feeling of a corridor broke his thoughts. He looked up in time to see Shaylex walk through and close her corridor.

"So? What's the mission today?" he asked as he pushed off the wall, standing his full height.

"The usual," Shaylex explained, "but we're going to Neverland this time."

Tenebrae couldn't hold down his disgust and rolled his eyes. He remembered the day he spent with Ray and Mojie. The memory of flying was still fairly new in his mind. The entire experience was bright and flashy for him. He wouldn't admit it to Shaylex, but he did enjoy the day.

"Hmmm, never was a fan of that World," Tenebrae replied.

Shaylex nodded at his comment. "Yeah, it isn't exactly my favorite either." He saw a shift in her emotions. They went back to normal as she said, "But we have a mission."

'Don't pry,' he thought as Shaylex opened another corridor. 'If she wants to tell you, she will.'

Both Wielders walked through. They were deposited on an island. The area was a bit different then where he went with Mojie and Ray. Shaylex had dropped them off near a cove of sorts.

As soon as the corridor closed, the Heartless appeared. The pair summoned their Keyblades and rushed in. The heartless were small fry and easily dispatched. Tenebrae was having a good time, and his blood lust was being sated.

Tenebrae glanced in Shaylex's direction and saw a Heartless lunge at her. He noticed she was distracted and rushed the Heartless. He took it out and went back to his little group.

When the swarm was defeated, the two Wielders rested. Tenebrae look Shaylex over and sighed. There was nothing physically wrong, but she was underperforming.

He rested Kingdom Key D on his shoulder. "You've not been focused recently," he said.

Shaylex just sighed. "Just a lot on my mind right now." Her walls were up again.

'I need to pick my words carefully,' he thought. 'Or this won't change.'

"You know," he said, "Talking about your problems with a friend can help you out." He thought of Axel, maybe the red haired Nobody was her confidant.

"Yeah, well, I don't have any friends!" she snapped.

'Shit!' he looked down. 'Guess I was wrong.'

Shaylex must have seen his look. Because she sighed and said, "I'm sorry. I'm just not ready to talk about it. I want to figure it out first before anything else." She sat on the floor and rubbed her face, distressed. "Why must not having a heart be so complicated?"

Tenebrae thought about his own heart and the conflict within it. He placed a hand over his heart. "Beats me," he said, "I wish I could know, so I could help out."

Shaylex's eyes met his. There was a look that said it was a bad idea. "Trust me, that is the last thing you want to do," she said, standing, "I wasn't given a choice when I lost my heart. But you do. I'm telling you, it's not worth the trouble. It's a pain in the ass."

She had a point there. But it didn't excuse her performance.

"Well can you at least tell me what's been bothering you?" he asked. "We may not be friends, but we are Partners, and I need you to stay focused, okay?"

Shaylex took a deep breath and turned to face him. "Can I ask a question first. Would Keval lie to someone? What was he like before the War? You said you knew him before you left. What was he like, besides big-headed and egotistical?"

'Oh great, this again,' Tenebrae thought as he sighed and rubbed his neck. 'And I never mentioned my pep talk with Keval. Dammit.'

"Well, I didn't hang out with him much. Because of his ego, he was super popular, hyper-focused on training and getting stronger." As Tenebrae explained, a small smile graced his lips. "But I guess, he had a good heart, always sticking up for his friends, no matter what. He wouldn't lie to anyone, he'd be honest. As much as I disliked the guy, he knew the true value of friendship." Tenebrae did look at Shaylex a bit confused. He was wondering where the conversation was going. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I saw him last week, in Twilight Town." She said softly.

"You did?" Tenebrae had genuine shock.

'Oh right, Keval only told me he saw her. He never said exactly what happened.'

Shaylex nodded. "Yeah, I asked him about the memory Mama Odie showed me," she explained. "I asked if he remembered it and to tell me exactly how it happened."

She paused. But Tenebrae knew there was more. So, he asked, "And?"

Shaylex had a smile as she placed her hand over her necklace. "He was correct. He pointed out every little detail that I saw. He even recited his promise to me, word for word."

'Of course, he did,' Tenebrae thought as he looked away.

"That son of a bitch," he muttered.

"What did you say?" Shaylex asked.

Oh shit! Had that come out? "Oh nothing," Tenebrae said, hoping to divert the attention and glean a bit more. "Did he say anything else?"

"He wanted me to leave the Organization, to join him and, I guess, our friends," she explained. "That we could work together to get my heart back."

'And judging from what Keval and I talked about,' he thought, 'That answer was no.'

"So why didn't you?" he asked. She was letting her guard down slightly, so he proceeded with caution.

"Because I don't want to put them in danger. I understand now that we have a past, but the Organization, they're not ones to take betrayal lightly," Shaylex explained. "And after I broke rules by going to Hollow Bastion against orders, I'm still in the doghouse. I don't want the Organization to destroy them. Or worse…" Shaylex clutched her chest.

Tenebrae realized what she was going to say. "Turn them into Nobodies," he said in a low tone.

She nodded. "Yeah, and that's a fate I wouldn't want to wish on even my darkest enemy," she said, as her hand started to fiddle with her necklace. "And even then, if I did go with him, how could someone who isn't whole? Who can't feel? Who only remembers emotions? As I said, that's not a fate I would wish on anyone."

'That wouldn't matter to him,' Tenebrae thought.

He walked up to Shaylex and lightly punched her arm. "You did it to protect him. I understand. I would have done the same thing, probably."

Shaylex smiled. "Yeah. Come on, enough with the talking. We have a quota to fill."

Shaylex went on first, heading down a dirt path. Tenebrae knew that was it for now and followed behind her. The pair walked away from the clearing, down the path. They didn't say much as they progressed. But the progress was halted as the pair made it to a split in the path.

"This again?" Tenebrae sighed, frustrated. He didn't want a repeat of what happened in the Bayou.

"Come on, let's split up. We still haven't met our quota for the day," Shaylex chuckled. "We would be able to get things done quicker that way."

At least she was being positive again. He chuckled as he said, "Fair enough."

"Meet back here in half an hour," Shaylex said.

"You got it!" Tenebrae said. He turned to head down one of the paths.

"Hey, Tenebrae," Shaylex called to him. He turned to her. "Do you remember when we first met, and you said that I could use a friend? But I shut that notion down…"

She seemed to be at a loss for words. But Tenebrae was a bit intrigued.

"I remember," he said softly.

Shaylex took a deep breath and looked at him. "Well, maybe… maybe having a friend isn't such a bad idea after all. If you still want to be friends that is?"

'She wants to be friends!?' Tenebrae thought. He couldn't mistake the happiness and Light within him.

"Yeah. Of course," he said with a smile. "Friends it is then!"

Tenebrae held out his hands. Shaylex walked up to Tenebrae and shook his hand. The two Wielders shared a smile before down their separate paths.

'A friend! I have a friend,' Tenebrae thought as he walked down the path. 'I mean, technically she is the second, with Laci being first. Though, I'm in love with Laci, so how does that work? Well that doesn't matter, I have a new friend.'

Tenebrae walked on for about 10 minutes, coming across a large tree in the middle of the clearing. Some Heartless appeared and Tenebrae didn't let that ruin his mood. He took them down in no time. He didn't use his flames but was strong enough to take the wave down like it was nothing.

He breath a sigh of relief. Tenebrae couldn't help the feeling of Light he had. He knew this is what Mama Odie had meant, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon. And he was surprised he didn't feel any pain.

After a bit more fighting, Tenebrae shouldered his Keyblade. He decided to head back to the fork in the road. He should have been able to make it back in time.

Tenebrae walked down the path and let his mind wander. 'Maybe this can help. Shaylex and I had shared a similar mindset when we met. But we were able to open up to each other. Can I do the same for the others?'

Tenebrae was back at the fork and leaned against a tree. He hummed a tune as he thought. He thought about the Light Protectors and how he could be ready to join. He thought about Laci and how he needed to find her, to tell her his feelings. And he thought about how the missions with Shaylex would be better.

'Maybe I won't need to rely on Darkness anymore,' Tenebrae thought, looking at his hand. 'I fought just as well without it. Maybe I should just stop.'

Tenebrae yawned and looked up. He looked up at Neverland's sun and realized how long he had been waiting. They had agreed to meet back up thirty minutes after their parting. Tenebrae was sure it had been closer to an hour by this point.

'Don't freak out,' he thought, getting up from his tree. 'Unlike the Bayou, there isn't a strong Darkness. The Heartless here are pushovers.'

He started to walk down Shaylex's path. Tenebrae didn't want to assume the worse, but he had to check. He walked along the path and kept his eyes open. Nothing was out of the ordinary, and after 30 minutes, he found nothing.

Tenebrae walked into an open area surrounded by tents. There was a cliff that overlooked the sea. In the center was a large totem pole and a drum. Tenebrae realized this was where he was when he fell into the sea last time he was here.

Tenebrae walked up to the totem pole and placed a hand on it. The entire structure was smooth to the tough. He looked around and opened his senses.

Besides the Heartless, there was nothing unusual. But he also didn't sense Shaylex. She could just be out of his range. But if that was the case, where could she have gone?

"Look at that, we finally have a chance to talk." Heloa's voice sent a shiver down his spine.

Tenebrae sighed, before turning to face him. Heloa and Hashley stood at the entrance to the tent area. Heloa had a smug look on his face, while Hashley wasn't looking at him.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Tenebrae growled.

"It means like I said," Heloa chuckled. "We finally have a chance to talk. You picked a pesky World to come to, by the way. It's far too bright here."

"It wasn't my choice." Tenebrae summoned Kingdom Key D. "My friend and I were here for her mission. So, buzz off so I can find her."

"Oh, you mean the 'friend' who abandoned you here?" Heloa asked with a smirk.

Tenebrae tensed. His eyes went wide.

Heloa continued. "Yes, your friend isn't here. That's why I thought we would have a chat. About you."

Tenebrae started to shake. He lowered his head and clenched his free hand. Shaylex wouldn't have just left. She would have told him.

"You're lying Heloa," he said in a low tone. "She wouldn't do that."

"But she did. And now you know how she truly feels." Heloa laughed a bit. "Just like with my other, she chose her group over you. She doesn't value you at all."

"Shut the fuck up!" Tenebrae shouted. There were tears in his eyes. His Light was pulsing and hurting him. "You don't know her! So shut up!"

"You just don't realize it. You are nothing more than a means to an end." Heloa walked up to the Seeker. "Can she truly be your friend, when her entire reason for agreeing to have you join was for your Keyblade?"

Tenebrae didn't want to listen, but Heloa had a point. But it didn't change that the two had become friends now. It didn't matter how they met originally.

"So tell me, old friend," Heloa lifted his chin. "When will you finally accept you true calling? I can see the pain in your eyes. But I can also sense the discord in your heart. Accept your calling and join us."

Tenebrae growled. He raised his Keyblade to strike. With Heloa so close, he couldn't miss. But he didn't expect a slash to his chest.

Tenebrae stumbled back, with his arm outstretched. He looked at Heloa and saw a Keyblade in his hand. Heloa had access to the Keyblade Oblivion. The black bat design was the personification of Darkness.

"How?" Tenebrae coughed.

"I just couldn't show my hand before," Heloa smirked. "But my point stands. Your Light is slowing you down. If you don't get rid of it, you won't ever be as strong as me. And your friend will just replace you for another. And not just her, but those other fools as well. We are the only ones who truly understand you, Tenebrae." Heloa held out his arms, gesturing to himself and Hashley.

Heloa's words hit Tenebrae hard. He wasn't even sure what he wanted anymore. Did Tenebrae want friends, or to be alone? Did he want to be with the others, or not? Could he fight with Light or Darkness? His mind and heart were spinning, and it made him sick.

"Make the choice soon," Heloa said, walking back to Hashley. "You know they won't want you. And we will be there for you." The two Heartless were surrounded by a corridor before disappearing.

Tenebrae fell to his knees. He let go of his Keyblade, letting it dismiss. He stared into nothing, with tears falling down his face. His emotions were in flux and he couldn't control them. The Light and Darkness were clashing, and it was causing him pain.

'Who can I trust?' Tenebrae thought. 'Who is truly there for me? Who… Who am I?'

Tenebrae stood up, moving like a zombie. He summoned his Keyblade and opened a portal. He walked through, having only one place in mind.

The fact that the Realm of Darkness still felt familiar should have worried him. But he didn't care. He had one thought in mind.

Tenebrae took a deep breath and yelled at the top of his lungs. He released as much of his aura as he could. He wanted to be a beacon for the Darkness, to draw as much as he could to him. He needed to know.

Many Heartless appeared. They were everywhere he could see. The sight both scared and invigorated him. The Heartless twitched when he raised his Keyblade.

"Guess what?" he said to the monsters. He grew a feral grin. "I've got a lot of shit to work through. So, come at me motherfuckers!"

The swarms of Heartless converged. The Darkness covered everything, including the Wielder. But his laughter could be heard among it. -

* * *

**And the excitement turns to concern and fear...**  
**Friendship formed and already questioned. This chapter marks a new arc for the Seeker. I hope you all are ready for this particular journey. And of course, Thanks Shaylex for having something for me to work off of.**  
**See all in the next one!**


	27. Recollection and Communication

**Hello everyone! So this is a quicker update than normal. And that is because today/yesterday !0/3 was the anniversary of the Light Protectors tag on TikTok. So I wanted to get this out to celebrate that. However this chapter also marks the end of a story arc for Tenebrae.**  
**So I hope you guys enjoy it and are ready for some feels. **

* * *

Tenebrae stumbled into Twilight Town, coming from the woods. His clothes were torn and not regenerating. He had cuts and bruises everywhere visible. Even his hair had hints of red from dried blood. There was even a limp in his step.

Tenebrae made it to the apartment of the Light Protectors. He opened the door and collapsed on the floor. He could barely hear the voices of the others as he passed out.

"Tenni!?" the yelling at him was familiar.

"Laci?" He opened his eyes and noticed his glasses were on. He looked into Laci's light brown eyes, which had a look of worry. "How long was I out?"

"Not long, thankfully," she said with a nervous giggle. She sat back, both being on the ground in Wonderland. "There may have been a tiny, huge explosion that knocked you out."

He sat up, clutching his head. "Which is Laci-speak for, your spell was max powered, and I was too close to the Heartless. I could have sworn we agreed that, when we fight, you don't target the ones I'm engaged with."

Laci giggled. "To be fair, I did get rid of mine. And you were taking long."

Her whining should have been annoying, but it was cute and endearing to Tenebrae. He chuckled as he removed his glasses to clean them. Sure enough, there was soot and dirt from her magic. Yet Tenebrae couldn't be mad at her.

After all, she was his… A sharp pain went through his head. Why would he be in pain? That didn't make sense.

'I must have taken more damage than I thought,' he thought as he stood. Laci did the same next to him. 'It's probably my imagination.'

Tenebrae looked to Laci. "Okay, this is your mission. Where is the target?"

"We are almost there!" she said, skipping away. "Once we get to the Queen's courtyard, we should find it. And then we can go back and work on experiments!"

Tenebrae nodded and followed her. He couldn't help the smile on his face. Every moment he spent with Laci, was another he could remember why he lo…

Another pain surged through his head. This one was strong enough to bring him to his knees. Tenebrae clutched his head. The pain was worse than before, and he had no idea why.

Laci looked back at him. "Tenni? Tenni!" She ran back to him and placed her hands on his cheeks. "Hey, I'm here. Are you okay?"

The feelings of her hands dulled the pain. Tenebrae stared into her eyes and smiled. Just see her was enough to bring him happiness. He couldn't want anything else.

But there was a nagging feeling. Something was off about all of this. And the last two surges of pain meant something. He just wasn't sure.

"I'm okay," Tenebrae said, smiling at Laci. "I think I may have to rest after the mission. I think those experiments are messing with me. But I'm good to finish the mission."

Laci looked at him worried but nodded. She helped him stand and led the way.

The pair walked through an arched doorway. The change from the forest to hedge was drastic. The patterned carpet and wooden stands didn't help either. Tenebrae kept forgetting how unusual Wonderland was.

"Weird," Laci said, walking ahead. "The target should be here."

Tenebrae took one step forward, and things got weird. He felt a presence and the air around him grew heavy. He noticed Laci stop moving, like she was frozen in place. He ran up to her and tried to hold her hand.

Tenebrae was surprised when his hand passed through hers. He jumped back in shock. Tenebrae looked at his own hand and saw nothing wrong. But what had happened?

"You know you had a choice to make," he heard a voice like his, but darker.

Tenebrae turned and saw his Seeker version. The red eyes narrowed as the two stared at each other. Tenebrae felt the same pain as before.

"You can't be in two places," the Seeker version said. "And you noticed it too. We don't belong here. You can't feel what you feel for her, for any of them. We just need to embrace what we are."

Tenebrae clutched his head. There were too many thoughts. Visions, memories, people. There were too many things. And they were corroding. They were becoming…dark.

Tenebrae looked at the Seeker version. "Is it really impossible? To have both. We can find a way."

The Seeker version shook his head. "It won't be us. We are not strong enough."

Tenebrae let his arms drop. "They will make me stronger," he said.

The Seeker version looked at him. It raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Tenebrae summoned his Keyblade. It looked to be an upgrade version of Starlight. He rushed at the Seeker and swung.

The Seeker version summoned Kingdom Key D. It was able to block his strike. The resulting shockwave shook the world they were in. But the Seeker didn't seem fazed.

"Not strong enough," it said, before disappearing. "You don't have enough Light."

Kingdom Key D burst out of his chest. He looked down at the Keyblade in shock. There wasn't a lot of pain, just shock.

Tenebrae looked over to Laci. He reached for her frozen form. Tenebrae could feel his tears falling as he faded into unconsciousness. -

Tenebrae gasped awake. He had felt something on him, so he sat up quickly and lunged for whatever was near him. His hands wrapped around something warm, but he was determined to kill it.

He heard muffled voices as his senses came back to him. He saw black and white as he blinked. Tenebrae also heard multiple male voices becoming clearer. He shook his head as everything finally realigned.

Tenebrae was looking into Mojie's terrified eyes. Her small hands were holding onto his, which were wrapped around her throat. Tenebrae noticed Rylan, Ray and Keval all had their Keyblades at the ready.

Tenebrae let go of Mojie and watched her scurry back and away. He felt bad for scaring her. But he had no idea what had happened.

"I'm not a Heartless," he groaned, putting a hand to his head. "You don't need to point those at me."

Ray held Diamond Dust in his face. The crystal blade was only inches away from Tenebrae's face. "After what you did to Mojie!? You think we won't be cautious!?"

Keval had already dismissed his Keyblade. The taller Wielder walked behind Ray and put him into a full nelson hold. The mask wearer was caught by surprise and started kicking in the air.

"Hey! Let me go Keval!" Ray shouted. His limbs were flailing comically.

"Easy there, Sunshine," Keval laughed. "The guy just woke up. Maybe he just needed some time to fully adjust, like we all did."

"He hurt Mojie!" Ray yelled, squirming in Keval's grip.

"But he isn't anymore," Rylan said. He dismissed his Keyblade as well. "And he was asleep for 3 days."

'Three days?' Tenebrae thought. 'I guess it's better than losing everything.'

He looked over to Mojie, who flinched when they made eye contact. "I'm sorry," he said. "I don't know what came over me. I had an unusual dream, and I thought it was still happening."

"Apologizing doesn't change a thing," Ray said, still struggling to get out of Keval's grip. "You could have killed her!"

Keval sighed, "But he didn't. And he's aware of his situation."

"It's fine," Tenebrae said, standing up. He was still in his travel gear and it wasn't torn. They had regenerated. "I'll spend a few days away. Give them some time to calm down."

"You don't have to," Rylan said. "Ray is just feisty."

Tenebrae turned to look at the struggling Vulpeus, held back by his old Union mate. "I'd rather not take my chances. I'll be at Sunset Hill if you guys decide to go anywhere."

Tenebrae exited the apartment. He left the complex and walked to the Shopping District. He noticed it was about midday, as he walked. People were out and about. Tenebrae needed to find a quiet place before going to the Hill.

Tenebrae went into the tunnels. He had to clear his head first. What had happened?

'I need to go over the past events,' Tenebrae thought. 'I should think about the last mission I did. Shaylex and I had gone to Neverland. She and I fought some Heartless, had a chat and then continued to the next area. Before we parted, we became friends, which was a surprise, then we split up.'

He walked deeper into the tunnels, as his thoughts continued. 'And I waited for her. She never came back to the meeting place. I went to look for her and encountered Heloa instead.'

Tenebrae shook his head in anger. 'Damn it Heloa! That bastard. He just keeps messing with me. But was he wrong? Am I just a means to an end? And what of the Protectors?'

Tenebrae thought of Mojie's face when he woke up. And thought of Ray's anger after what he did. 'But what was I doing? I was out for 3 days… how?'

Tenebrae made it to the gate leading to Sunset Terrace. 'After my talk with Heloa, I wasn't sure where to go. So, I went to the one place I could feel comfortable. But I was ready to end it as well.'

The Realm of Darkness. He should not have gone back. But the familiarity of the Darkness was refreshing. The Light was confusing him. It hurt and helped, but of its own accord.

Tenebrae walked to Sunset Hill. He looked at the diorama of Twilight Town. Even though he had looked it over before, it eased him to examine it.

He sighed, not sure what he was doing. Tenebrae walked down the Hill. He needed to keep moving to clear his head.

Tenebrae walked to the train station. He got a ticket for the local line. Tenebrae rode the line back to the Clock Tower. As he walked out, he walked by two individuals.

He didn't look back, but he noticed the coats. Both belonged to Organization XIII. One he had recognized, the other he did not.

'No…' He thought as he kept going. 'They mean nothing to me.' Tenebrae wandered through town aimlessly. -

Tenebrae spent the next day doing nothing. He simply had no motivation. No drive. No desire.

He didn't meet back up with the Protectors. Instead, he spent the night on a random roof. After everything, he didn't think he could face them again.

Even now, after being up for most the day, he had done nothing. This was the only way he could keep himself sane. He just sat on the bench of Sunset Hill, staring at the sun. He wasn't sure why the sight was both soothing and annoying.

"Hey! Tenebrae!" a voice called out.

He turned his head to the voice. Shaylex was walking up the Hill. Tenebrae wasn't sure if he was happy or mad at seeing her.

"Shaylex," his voice was slightly bitter. She did leave him alone, without an explanation.

"I'm glad I found you," she said. "Sorry it's taken me this long."

'A little too late to apologize,' he thought.

He just made a noise before looking back at the sunset. "Whatever."

"Listen," Shaylex said. "I'm sorry for running off the other day. Saix showed up out of the blue, and he demanded that I return to the castle immediately. I wanted to tell you, but he was persistent." She had walked up to him as she spoke, now standing next to him.

"I kind of figured." He was still upset, but she was his friends, right? "So, what happened?"

"Well, I'm being sent on a secret mission to the Organization's other research castle," She explained, looking to the sunset. "I leave tomorrow."

'What!?' he thought, as he stood to face her.

"They have another castle?" Tenebrae asked.

Shaylex nodded. She turned to him and spoke softly, "Yeah, I have no idea why I'm being sent there. But I have to go."

'She's leaving…She found me just to say she's leaving!?'

Tenebrae held down his frustration. Instead, he chose to look at the sunset. "That's fine." He tried to keep his voice even as he spoke.

He heard Shaylex sigh. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah." He pushed her hand away. She didn't open up about everything right away. So, he didn't have to either.

Shaylex sounded uncertain when she spoke next. "You know, you can tell me. We're friends, right?"

The word "friends" made his anger rise. If they were friends, she wouldn't have left him. She would have tried to find him sooner. She wouldn't have…

"Friends." He turned to her and glared. "Is that why you waited all this time to tell me? You could have found me thw other day, but you seemed too preoccupied with your Organization buddies!" He had realized too late how made he actually was. Because he ended up shouting at her.

Shaylex held up her hands. "I wanted to find you and tell you. But I had to stay with Roxas," she said. "I'm already not trusted in the Organization. I'm trying to get back in their good books."

"And yet, they're sending you to this castle!" he shouted at her.

Shyalex took a step back. "I have no choice. Trust me, O fought to stay. But with me gone, it's up to Roxas to take down the Heartless, hence why I was saddled with him the last few days. I had to make sure he was prepared. Who knows what's going to happen? I'm sorry."

Tenebrae turned his back to Shaylex. 'Can I still be mad after that? She was only doing what she was told.'

Shaylex may not have read his emotions correctly. "Look, I am sorry. Things have been hectic. My mind has been all over the place recently. First Keval abd then this stupid mission and Roxas. But I had to let you know. I couldn't leave without telling you. Okay?"

'What am I doing?' he thought as he calmed down.

"Yeah," he said softly.

"You sure you're going to be okay without me?" Shaylex asked softly.

Tenebrae nodded. "I'll be fine. I was on my own for a long time before I met you," he explained. "I've found some other people that I can keep myself busy with while you're gone."

"That's good. Are we still friends?" Shaylex asked.

What reason did he have to say no? She is the only one he had opened up to. He hadn't even done that with Keval.

"I guess, sorry for being so distant," he apologized.

"No, you have every right," she said with a smile. "I have to go now. But when I get back, we'll swap stories!"

Tenebrae couldn't help the smile on his face. "I wonder whose story is going to be more eventful." He couldn't help the sarcasm that came out of his mouth.

"I guess we'll find out," Shaylex chuckled before turning around. "I'll see you around, Tenebrae." She opened a corridor and stepped through.

Tenebrae couldn't stop smiling. He hyped himself up and headed back into town. He did want to have stories for Shaylex whenever she came back. But he also didn't want to make the Light Protectors worry.

Tenebrae made it back to the apartment and entered. Everyone was relaxing, doing various activities. Keval and Rylan were playing a game on the couch. Solas was close by napping away. Ray was on a chair, cheering and goading the two gamers. Mojie was on another chair with a book in hand. She was watching the game as well.

Tenebrae felt his Light surge. But there was a jealousy to it. He quietly closed the door and turned to leave.

'That is what real friendship is,' he thought, summoning a portal. 'Not something I can ever hope to gain.' He stepped through the portal, not looking back. -

* * *

**And there we go! I hope you all enjoyed!**  
**Like I mentioned this is the end of an arc in a sense, so the next bulk of chapters will have a bit of a theme. However there won't be an update for a while. That being because this story is almost a year old. And when that day comes will be the start of the next arc.**  
**So until then, may your heart be your guiding key.**


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